


Seven shades of Nine

by Talonticus



Series: The Talon legacy [7]
Category: Star Wars Legends: The Old Republic
Genre: Canon Divergent Elements, Dialogue Heavy, Drama, F/F, Gen, Humor, Romance, Swearing, Violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-23
Updated: 2017-10-29
Packaged: 2019-01-21 22:02:52
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 29,727
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12466872
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Talonticus/pseuds/Talonticus
Summary: To understand the individual known as Cipher Nine, one would need to do more than simply read her dossier. It requires studying her relationships, the interactions with her comrades, her family, and what conflicts have shaped her. To do any less would be to give her an advantage.





	1. The unbridled chaos

**Author's Note:**

> _Hey there! Claire Talon (or Talonticus) here. I've got another SWTOR story for you._
> 
> _Just like I did with "Aspects of clashing truth" months ago, this is another fic which will be written during an entire week. The focus of the story is upon my female human Cipher Nine, Cierah Draconius, and some interactions with her companions and some other people that are important to her. The first five chapters will occur **during** the class story, while the last two will be **post-class story** , around the same time as "The precipice of division", actually._   
>  _I've tagged a lot of characters, but none except Cierah will be in every chapter. They will get one each._
> 
> _Why am I doing this? Well, because, you know...I'm never done writing about Cipher Nine. Also, I have my reasons, which I won't reveal._   
>  _Don't know how obvious it has been from previous fics, but, next to the SI team, the IA team is probably my favorite one._
> 
> _For those who haven't or just want another peek of how my Cipher Nine looks, screenshots of her are available on[a blog of mine](https://creativebankruptcies.blogspot.com/2018/12/talon-legacy.html)._

Many planets and moons around the galaxy have quite an unfair divide within the realm of resources, between the rich and the poor, an element that is often difficult to avoid no matter which section you visit. That said, there’s few places where it’s so blatant as hutt space.  
Nar Shaddaa is known for a couple of things – the hutts rule it, smugglers are relentlessly drawn to it, credits flow freely at the top, and the ground level is some of the worst places to live in, perhaps only rivaled by being enslaved in the Sith Empire. This information is not exactly in the travelling brochures, but it’s an unwritten rule, an element which virtually all of the galaxy has become aware of.

Cierah, or Cipher Nine, has not travelled here often, occasions that she can most likely count on one hand, and all so far have been work-related. Despite this minor flaw in her experience, she did not hesitate to any particular degree when Keeper delivered her the latest mission, as she feels that blending in will not be an issue. Part of this conclusion is likely due to her confidence and determination, but the area itself also plays a major role in the evaluation.

Club Nova Cluster is a facility constructed and put into activation no more than a year ago, meant to be a rival of Club Vertica in another section of the moon. Just like that casino, this club was built as a large planet-based high-altitude vessel, suspended in the air above the surface of Nar Shaddaa with expensive technology, neon signs and lights displayed along its exterior. It’s a ridiculous symbol of wealth and what Cierah would call a waste of resources, but who is she to judge whatever inane choices these people make? She’s only here to extract information.

The one she’s searching for here is the owner of the club, a man by the name of Sirrago DeValt; human, member of the Red Moon syndicate, and generally not a pleasant person, according to his dossier. He’s arrogant, brazen, overconfident and ruthless. He’s got a lot of credits and he knows what sort of influence that can buy. Apparently, a lot of that derives from the many deals he has signed with the Hutt Cartel, which has brought those two very close. Whether he’s their puppet or if they’re afraid of him, Cierah can’t tell, but that doesn’t really matter. Normally, she wouldn’t think of such a person for even a second, but unfortunately, he is supposedly involved with the terrorist network tied to the Eagle. How, she’s not exactly sure yet, but that’s why infiltration and investigation is necessary. 

It is also for this reason she felt rather self-assured that she could succeed with the mission. She may not be a crime lord, but she is a member of an important military family in the Empire. Ever since she was young, she has had to interact with the military, other important families and, most of all, Sith. If there’s anyone who has encountered arrogance and a foolish belief in one’s own excellence, it’s Cierah. Sure, these wealthy criminals and socialites may live different lives, but they’re the same people, carry the same unwarranted trust in how much better they are than everyone else. Imitating this is not an issue.

As she entered the casino, she drew a lot of eyes, and she isn’t surprised. She’s aware what attention her looks receive, whether she cares for it or not. Fair skin, long black hair currently hanging down in loose waves over her upper back, with a mild application of cosmetics over her lips, cheeks and eyes. Or rather, one eye, as the other holds one of the main divergences – a mechanical eye patch. She figured it wouldn’t really matter if she showed that she was a cyborg or not here, and getting a temporary replacement for it would’ve just been a hassle.  
Her body is currently adorned with a white dress that reaches past her knees, sitting rather tightly on her, showing off some of the pleasant appearance of her figure. It also exposes her shoulders. Included in this choice is a set of silver earrings and two gold rings on her fingers, surrounded by rubies.  
She hates the idea of wearing something like this, as she is a military woman at heart, preferring to stand in a uniform than any other type of clothing. But as a member of Imperial Intelligence, things are different, and other approaches are required of her.

For the past several weeks, she has no longer had to do her work alone, although whether this is positive or not is very questionable. Her only partner is currently by her side, someone whose arm she’s resting her own hands against.  
The other woman has even lighter skin, chalk white in fact, without any hair. Her face and head are adorned with several sharp tattoos, shaped like claws, and the only thing she really shares with the agent is the grey eye color. Compared to the human, this rattataki’s clothes are looser, with an open burgundy colored jacket, grey shirt, loose dark blue pants and a thick silver belt. 

Kaliyo Djannis is not the type of person that Cierah would’ve willingly recruited. In fact, her personality and attitude are very unconventional, certainly not even close to any type of friend that the agent has ever had. Then again, she has had very few friends in general, even if Kaliyo somewhat reminds her of another woman.  
Unfortunately, this partnership was not Cierah’s idea, but her superior’s. When Keeper insists that they work together, for the benefit of both, what can she say? She’s an imperial, and she will follow orders even to her death, should that be required.

The main problem, which Cierah has already realized, is that Kaliyo does not blend in among this crowd as skillfully as the agent, something that shows when they stand here and discuss the party with a few other guests.  
“Ah, you shoulda seen ‘em”, Kaliyo tells them, “they expected a bonus payment for getting my shit into that warehouse, even if it was basically a trip I could’ve done myself. I just looked at them, tossed a couple of coins down the stairs and told them to fuck off. ‘I run a business here, you little shits, not a charity. If you wanted better working conditions, you’d have gone to the Republic, idiots’. And then I left them there, stranded on surface-level! Priceless.”

Kaliyo laughs, but most of the others around her do not seem quite as pleased. In fact, they’re mostly weirded out. Sure, Cierah is certain that they enjoy kicking at the poor as well, but they probably don’t discuss it this blatantly.  
She hopes to ease the tension and clears her throat.  
“I apologize for my wife”, Cierah explains to the other partygoers, in a different kind of accent than her normal imperial one. “She can be very…eccentric.”

The rattataki grins and glances at her.  
“Or you’re just too boring to enjoy a good story! If you want, we could explain what other fun stuff we did in a place like that while people were watching.”

Cierah sighs and roll her eye, but with the irritation growing inside of her, she’d prefer to do much more. She really ponders the idea of tossing Kaliyo off the side of the platform, but she has to play her role. She just wishes the rattataki could do the same.  
For now, she grabs Kaliyo’s arm and momentarily nods towards the guests.  
“Excuse me. I think I must go find her another drink.”

They give her a smile, but also display a look of relief as Cierah seizes Kaliyo’s arm somewhat harder and leads her away.  
“Hey, find me later! I’ve got even more good ones!”

Once they’re out of hearing range from these people, Cierah frowns and lowers her voice enough that only Kaliyo can hear.  
“What the hell do you think you’re doing?”

The entire place is rather brightly lit, with lots of tables, people, and activities everywhere. Some corners have dancing men and women on display, several sections with gambling, and a lot of waiters walking around serving drinks. They pass by one of them holding a tray, which Kaliyo steals a glass from.  
“Enjoying myself, obviously. One of us has to.”

Cierah breathes out, letting her eye drift around, making sure that no one is specifically watching them.  
“We’re on a mission here, unless you’ve forgotten.”

Kaliyo downs half the drink before she responds.  
“What, wasn’t this what you wanted? You asked me to play a douchebag, so that’s what I’m doing.”

“No, this wasn’t what I told you. If anything, I asked you to play a _sophisticated_ individual, not some alcoholic arse.”

That makes the rattataki smirk and shrug.  
“People who use words like that for themselves are usually shitheads anyway, you know.”

Cierah is starting to realize that this may have been a mistake. Perhaps she should’ve come here alone.  
She looks up, finding Kaliyo’s eyes and glares into them.  
“We are supposed to fit in and gain the necessary information from this area, not get ourselves thrown out.”

“What, and sucking up to these pricks is the way to do it? C’mon, agent, there’s loads of better plans just waiting for us, if we really wanted that intel.”

The human sighs and shakes her head slightly. Here she goes again.  
“You’ve already mentioned this, Kaliyo, and the answer is still no.”

“Pfff. Just so you know, that’s why we’ll fail. We’re being too lax. Talking to all of these rich, stuck-up dicks won’t get us anywhere. We should get loud. Let’s trash some shit and force what we want out of them. You know what these people are, right? It’s the only way they’ll understand.”

Or more likely, it’s the only way Kaliyo will accept. They’ve spent enough time together since Nal Hutta for Cierah to have created a substantial assessment. She’s a trigger-happy, reckless, excitable anarchist, constantly looking for her next adrenaline fix. The two are practically on the opposite ends of personalities and beliefs. Kaliyo is pretty much everything that Cierah _doesn’t_ stand for. Why did Keeper think this would be a good matchup? Does he know of Jovana? That should not be an excuse to pair her up with someone who has virtually no comprehension of duty and service.

“Listen to me”, Cierah whispers, but in a rather dangerous tone.  
“I brought you here to do an assignment for my organization, not your amusement. We are here to act in accordance with our roles, as we need to extract the information, not burn this building down. If you can’t do this properly, I will not work with you anymore.”

It’s not a strong statement, she knows that, but she can change it in an instant. If she refuses, Keeper can’t really make her work with Kaliyo.  
That said, Kaliyo herself only continues to look amused.  
“Hah, good one! You know you don’t have a choice. Your boss wanted us together and that’s how we’ll have to stay.”

She’s getting too confident, to a hazardous level. Perhaps it’s best if Cierah makes her understand how serious this is.  
Being somewhat taller than the rattataki, she leans closer and glares into her eyes.  
“You really think I would have to terminate your employment to get rid of you?”

If Kaliyo was pleased with the last statement, she seems practically delighted now. The grin she displays is on the verge of being a challenge, ready to fight if necessary.  
“Is that a threat, agent? Oh, I like that fire. Maybe we have more in common than I thought.”

Cierah clenches her fist, and she has to almost physically restrain herself from doing anything drastic. She has to remember that it isn’t worth it, that Kaliyo only does this to goad her, and she can’t let this woman win.  
However, before she gets that far, something else draws her attention. A lot of commotion and excited sounds are heard from another side of the room. 

Coming in through two sets of doors is a pale-skinned male human with relatively short red hair and a few greying streams through it, possibly enhanced with dye. He has a neatly trimmed goatee beard, wearing a slick violet and black suit, with a few lines of gold. He’s greeted by a lot of the other partygoers, seemingly asking how they’re doing and if his guests are enjoying themselves.  
This makes Cierah snort and she nudges her head in that direction.  
“That’s him – Sirrago.”

“Our target?”

“Yes. He has what we need.”

Kaliyo turns her gaze back to Cierah.  
“So, what’s the plan then?” 

The agent continues to study the man, noticing how many people he gets attention from. Seeing how his eyes roam across several women does give her an idea for how to garner his interest at least, even if it makes her uncomfortable.  
“We need to convince him to get us into his office. I think I can handle that.”

“Is that so? Sure you don’t wanna consider my idea? It’ll make things a lot easier.”

Cierah glances back at her partner, thoroughly unimpressed.  
“I’m sure. Just follow the plan and distract some of his tagalongs.”  
There at two men around him, ones that Cierah doesn’t know whether to identify as guards or not. She could probably dispose of them, if they’re all out of view, but if they also provide advice for DeValt, she can’t know for sure what will make them grow suspicious. This is one of the few situations where having a partner is actually useful.  
“And try not to fuck up.”

Kaliyo snorts.  
“Yeah, same to you, asshole.”

The two split their activities, approaching the issue from different angles. Sirrago has ended up by one of the gambling tables, with some sort of high stakes roulette game playing on it. He does have a bunch of chips, which Cierah assumes he simply attained when he asked for them. It’s his place, after all.  
While he seems to enjoy himself, talking with some of the other people nearby, she waits until Kaliyo has successfully managed to distract the two men by his side before she approaches him.

“Mister DeValt?”, she asks in a gentle tone. 

Sirrago turns towards her, with his eyes first meeting hers, until they travel further down. It seems he doesn’t even intend to hide his interest, and his smile quickly grows.  
“Yes, indeed, that would be me. And who might you be, beautiful?”

While he asks, he takes her hand and lifts it up, putting his lips at the back of it. She wants to sigh, but remains outwardly intrigued.  
“Viela Darciello.”

“A lovely name, although I don’t actually remember you from my guestlist.”

“I’m not surprised. I received an invitation through your associates. We do certain business in the outer sectors of Hutt space together, and they thoroughly enjoyed the shipments I sent them last month, enough to give me a slot on your list. I hope you don’t mind, mister DeValt?”

She asks carefully, but also somewhat suggestively. Intelligence has taught her well enough, but she also has a lot of training from sucking up to Sith.  
Sirrago continues to smile, remaining quite close to her.  
“Oh, certainly not, miss Darciello. It is ‘miss’, right?”

“Well, I am married, but my wife is currently occupied with something else.”

She offers a smile of her own, and that seems to please him.  
“Heh, I see. That’s good enough for me. What can I do for ya, then?”

“I have read a lot about your introduction into the shuttle construction business here. It seems you’re almost the only one crafting these vessels in this sector of the galaxy now. I’m a fan and I would be very interested in discussing certain details with you.”

His expression transforms into a small smirk and arches a brow.  
“In private?”

“Perhaps. You do own this building, do you not? I would very much enjoy a tour of your office.”

Sirrago continues to stare into her eye, while his hand has left hers and instead travels to her back.  
“Do you like gambling, miss Darciello?”

At this point, he’s getting a little bit too close for her taste, but perhaps it’s all part of his…’charm’. She lets it be for now.  
“At times.”

He raises the other hand and gestures at the table.  
“Pick a number for me, and let’s see how you do, shall we?”

She doesn’t really know what purpose this will serve but, if it will make him take her into the right area, she will play along.  
“Red fifteen.”

He nods and then puts a few chips down by that location on the board.  
“A thousand on red fifteen”, he tells the casino staff member currently taking all the bets.

The rest of the people nearby also play their own chips, adding to it, gambling on various numbers or colors. The wheel spins around and a ball is distributed into the area, to land on a location and pick the winner. When it finally does, it stops on not just a different number, but a different color.  
“Black 26”, the staff member calls out. 

Somewhere around the table, a few people are very happy, but Sirrago looks mildly disappointed. Or he would be, but instead glances expectantly at Cierah.  
“Not the best first roll, I must say”, he tells her. 

Cierah shrugs.  
“I never claimed my luck in randomized games is particularly good. I prefer a more calculated and minimized risk.”

That makes him chuckle.  
“I can see what you mean. This place is mostly something I own out of enjoyment and letting loose. Risk in reality is more fun when you can stack it all in your favor.”  
She feels how his hand runs down her back and instead rests at her hip.  
“But, I do believe you might owe me an apology.”

The touch grows into a light squeeze and she does her best not to frown. The tension within is getting worse, but she keeps telling herself to stay cool.  
“Apology? You were the one who betted, mister DeValt. I merely offered a quick guess.”

“True, but I acted upon your advice. You can’t deny that you carry some of the blame here.”

“Advice that I gave when asked. You have only yourself to blame.”

He smirks slightly.  
“From your perspective. Perhaps we shall discuss this in private? Instead of my office, I have a much more comfortable section in the southern wing. We can enjoy a conversation and a glass of wine there.”

Ah, crap. She must’ve given him the wrong signal, or he sees what he wants. She certainly does not want to be trapped in his bedroom or wherever he intends to invite her. She really needs that office. Getting in through violence could work, but from the blueprints she read earlier, it cannot simply be sliced. His identification is necessary.  
“So soon? Mister DeValt, I do not want to sound ungrateful but, I prefer to deal with business before I indulge in anything more relaxed. I hope you understand.”

Sirrago chuckles, but doesn’t appear particularly bothered.  
“Why be so strict? This is a party, miss Darciello! We can do both, I’m sure. My office is so cramped anyway. I believe you’ll enjoy the view from further up. It’s got a pool too.”

That would be a good place to drown him, for sure, which is a possible end if she goes with him, but carrying a body through this area would be all too messy.  
“Mister DeValt, I must insist that you consider my alternative. This is your party, after all, and I would not wish to keep you away from your guests for too long.”

“Tsk. This is indeed my party, which is why I make the rules. And as the host, I believe my word is quite a bit more impactful than yours. If anyone should insist, it is I, miss Darciello. If we want any more guests where we’re going, I’m sure we can invite them.”

His hand is now very close to her behind and it won’t take long before he truly starts to grasp, something she’s dreading. She has been handled unwillingly like this before, but last time that occurred, she broke someone’s arm. Doing so here would be very unwise, especially with so many guards watching. But what else can she do? She will not indulge his desires, as she would rather drink toxic droid oil than get anywhere near him without clothes. And yet, the information he has may be crucial to their overall mission. What would Keeper have her do? Is this what he expects of her? 

She wants to sigh, wants to groan, even wants to just punch him, but a savior arrives from elsewhere.  
“Hey, there you are!”  
Both Sirrago and Cierah turn sideways and faces someone that neither had expected. Kaliyo walks right up to them, pushes his arm away and seizes Cierah by the waist. She leans against the agent, making her stumble into the table, kissing her both deeply and sloppily. It’s definitely not something that Cierah would usually want, and yet at this very occasion, it’s almost a relief.  
“Been looking for ya”, Kaliyo says after she tilts her head back somewhat. “Wondered if you want to go grab something to eat.”

Cierah looks into the rattataki’s eyes and she doesn’t know how, but there’s definitely comprehension in that gaze.  
Pretending to play annoyed, she glances towards Sirrago.  
“Sorry, mister DeValt. This is my wife.”

Kaliyo smirks and leans her head down, resting it against Cierah’s chest.  
“Yo. You’re the host guy, right? Thanks for keeping my lady busy for a little while.”

Sirrago himself looks both mildly annoyed and disappointed. He tries to offer them a smile, but it’s very forced.  
“No problem. Nice to meet you. You’ve got…a very pleasant wife.”

“She sure is. And all mine too.”

Cierah rolls her eye.  
“I’m sorry. She can be a handful when she doesn’t get attention. Please, excuse us.”

He waves at them dismissively, already looking away, as the two of them wander off.  
Once they do, Cierah really feels how fiercely her heart was beating, the agitation having grown to dangerous levels. She was virtually on the verge of an outbreak there, and yet Kaliyo stepped in so conveniently.  
She tries to calm down now, eye travelling to her companion. There’s certain things she’d want to say or ask, but nothing comes to mind. Instead, she stays quiet. 

“You’re welcome, by the way”, Kaliyo tells her.

Feeling how guilt surges into her chest, she exhales and shakes her head.  
“Thank you. You saved me from…I don’t even know what. I wasn’t sure how to deal with that.”

Kaliyo’s previous cocky or mischievous expression has disappeared. It’s oddly blank now, or perhaps even mildly annoyed.  
“Kinda knew he was a creep from the moment he walked in. Not that surprising with guys like that.” 

“I suppose that’s true, but I simply assumed he would be a professional. It appears the elite of the Empire is rather different from the one here.”

“Pretty much. You see why I didn’t think this was a good idea?”

Another sigh.  
“Yes, yes, you were right.”

“Glad you agree. So, what do you wanna do now? Continue to get that information in some other way, or go for another approach?”

Cierah takes a deep breath, much more so than she had previously.  
“I’m not certain that I could submerge myself in this hell once more. Charming him now would only lead to…horrible consequences. I would never debase myself that way.”

It appears Kaliyo is rather pleased with that answer, which is why she smirks.  
“You know, my option is still available. I know you wanna do this in a more ‘professional’ and ‘efficient’ manner, but…think about it. All that rage you’re trying to bottle up? Just imagine what a massively pleasing release it would be to blow this fucking place sky-high.”

Cierah stares into Kaliyo’s eyes, seeing how the rattataki is getting more and more excited with every word. The fact that the agent doesn’t immediately brush it off, or even glares at her, probably helps too. How can she know Cierah so well already?  
It takes her several seconds to finally respond.  
“It will create a lot of chaos. This area has multiple levels of guards and security. We might even die.”

“So? That’s when this shit is the best. How can you know that you’re alive, until you’ve felt the sensation of your heart almost wanting to destroy you?”

She continues to stare at her companion, trying to decide if this is wise, if there’s no other way out of it that could be beneficial. She can actually think of a few other alternative plans but, is it what she wants?  
“You’re enabling me, you know that, right?”

Kaliyo grins.  
“I don’t hear you complaining about it.”

With a resigned exhale, she leans her head against Kaliyo’s shoulder.  
“I hate you.” 

Kaliyo laughs and wraps an arm around Cierah’s waist.  
“This is gonna be so much fun.”


	2. The positivity intermingled melancholy

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _Yesterday was Kaliyo's chapter, so today we have Vector and Lokin. Yes, both of them. I was originally going to give them a chapter each, but as they affect Cierah in similar ways, I preferred to do a joint one._

The Rogue Warden, the highly advanced ship that Cierah has been using for about a year now, since it was first given to her by Intelligence, is a vessel that has been steadily gaining her affection. Not only is it quiet, fast and efficient, but also a very aesthetically pleasing place to wander through. The interior is designed as some sort of luxury vessel, constantly crisp and clean due to the small droids that came with it. She can imagine what other people would do with it, if given the chance to play or party within - especially her girlfriend - but she has never really been much for such activities. Besides, this is her workspace, even if it includes private quarters, and she wants it to contain an air of professionalism. 

This is why she’s somewhat surprised when she hears more noise than usually, coming from one of rooms. When she tracks it down and finds the door, she believes it originates in the quarters currently utilized for shared relaxation. Perhaps it shouldn’t be strange to hear commotion from within such an area, but her crew is always so calm and-…  
Alright, Kaliyo may be an exception, but the only noise she makes is in her own cabin. She finds the rest of the denizens to be either boring or too weird. Cierah thinks the latter is particularly ironic. 

She decides to inspect it even further, getting closer to the door, and hears quite a loud discussion within. Well, actually, it would be more accurate to say that one man is talking, although it’s difficult to determine whether he’s doing so with himself or if he has a companion in there.  
As the door slides open, she spots two people, both of which she recognizes – it’s Doctor Eckard Lokin, or Fixer Fifteen, and Vector Hyllus. The latter has been with her for several months now, while the former is relatively new, having joined her a few weeks ago. That said, somehow, the Doctor has managed to work his way into the hearts of the crew rather easily. Cierah hasn’t decided if that’s a worrying prospect or a relief. She will admit that he’s a very likable man, a sort of weird and yet warm uncle. 

As should perhaps have been expected, it’s Lokin who does most of the talking, while Vector listens. In fact, the human-killik joiner, as he calls himself, is very understanding in general. She knows that he was a diplomat before the transformation and it does appear he has retained the skill of previous experiences. His voice may be somewhat flat, and his eyes are strangely black, but he has become a welcome addition to the crew regardless. He is capable on the battlefield, caring about his comrades and often provides them with interesting information of killiks. Not the type of individual one might expect to be working for Intelligence, but she knows better.

What’s even more beneficial is that these two seem to have already established a sort of friendship, which is why it should not be all too surprising to find them here.  
“Ah, Cipher!”, Lokin exclaims, as he looks at her rather cheerfully. “I figured our commotion might eventually attract you. Not that we intended to disturb you, of course.”

Vector merely inclines his head in greeting.  
Cierah glances between the two, before she folds her arms and looks rather skeptical.  
“Doctor…are you drunk?”

Lokin tilts his head back and laughs.  
“A quick observer too! Well, I suppose there’s no use in lying here. I may have imbibed a few inebriating beverages. But ‘drunk’ is such a strong word! I am no more than mildly befuddled, I assure you. More than a glass of this is required to get me intoxicated!”

At the same time, Vector looks a little bit unsure.  
“We apologize, Cierah. We did not mean to create any difficult or cumbersome situations for you.”

Out of the companions she has ‘recruited’ thus far, it is only Vector who uses her real name. She will admit that it is somewhat questionable, seeing how she’s supposed to be known as nothing more than Cipher Nine now, in everyone’s eyes. She had grown comfortable with that thought as of late, and believed she could somehow come to accept that she will never be anything else anymore.  
Then again, has Lokin not retained his name? If it truly is what he was originally called. He may be semi-retired, and yet he seems more comfortable hearing his title or name, rather than the Intelligence rank. For now, she supposes she can allow the use.

“It’s fine”, she says, while sighing. “As long as neither of you plan to fly the ship while drunk, I don’t really mind.”

Lokin chuckles.  
“I don’t think that was ever the case, Cipher. Vector and I will leave such activities to miss Djannis.  
But now that you’re here, perhaps you’d like to join us? We’re having a lovely blend that I’ve never tried previously.”

Cierah arches a curious brow.  
“What type of blend?”

He lifts a glass bottle from the table. It is grey and translucent, although the interior liquid is somewhere between yellow and brown.  
“I’ve had this brandy stored for years now, something that was distilled in the deserts of Jaguada. I brought it out when Vector suggested I try…well, something he had. A rather intriguing fluid.”

“From the killiks?”

The diplomat himself nods and shows her two metal containers that can also be found on the table.  
“It is not just any kind of fluid, but one extracted from young killiks. They exude it during the growing phase into adulthood.  
Nothing in our nest is wasted, and if properly processed, this liquid can be imbibed, helping to improve immune systems, especially in individuals who have joined. Neither of you are joiners, of course, but even as mere humans, it should still be beneficial.”  
He glances at the glass holding a beverage consisting of alcohol combined with the killik extract, and tilts his head curiously.  
“However, I must say that this is a rather…unusual choice for how to partake of the contents.”

Cierah shrugs.  
“I’ve come to expect as much from the Doctor.”

Lokin smiles.  
“Well, I actually tried some earlier, and was pleasantly surprised with its rather spicy taste. It reminded me of a Sith drink I once had on a Dromund Fels outpost. It’s why it works so adequately with this brandy.”  
He looks back at the agent and waves her over.  
“Come, Cipher, I insist that you join us! You will enjoy this, I’m sure.”

Will she, though? How would he know that? She’s pretty sure that she has never shared her taste in beverages with anyone. Not that she would mind trying it but, it still feels a little bit weird.  
“I’m…uncertain”, she says slowly. “I do not drink very often, and never on duty.” 

“On duty? Come now, I hardly think it would be appropriate to call our current situation as such. We’re intelligence agents, not the military! Besides, this is your ship, our ship, and should our rules not apply here? I know that working is one of your favorite activities, but it is healthy to relax at times, trust me.”

She folds her arms then and frowns at him.  
“I do not work constantly. I indulge other things as well, occasionally.” 

The smile he offers next is more disarming, gentle.  
“I do not wish to push you, Cipher, so if you truly refuse, you are obviously free to do so. However, it is rare that we get opportunities like these, and I firmly believe you would enjoy what we’ve made. I’ve spent many years with Intelligence and I know how taxing life can be among them. Sharing a drink and some conversation every now and then can help alleviate some of that tension. You should try.”

His tone remains gentle and while she doesn’t really like the implications, she understands he only wishes to help.  
“Perhaps, but I usually prefer simpler drinks.” 

“You know what one of life’s best elements are, Cipher? The unknown. You can never get enough of it.”

Whatever that nonsense is supposed to mean, she doesn’t know, but she emits a heavy sigh, shoulders slumping as she heads to one of the free chairs.  
“Very well. Pour me a glass, I guess.”

Lokin seems to take this as a victory and moves his arms quickly to prepare another mixture for the agent. After she receives it, he raises his glass.  
“To the success of Imperial Intelligence. May it continue to confound the Sith throughout the ages.”

Cierah rolls her eye, but she clinks her glass with his and Vector’s anyhow, before they all have a sip.  
She leans back in her chair, feeling how the liquor burns in her throat rather pleasantly, and she breathes out contently through her nose.  
“You know, despite my initial skepticism, I have to agree that this is a rather tasty blend.”

Once more, the doctor chuckles.  
“I knew it! You should always trust me when I make a suggestion in this particular field.”

Vector smiles.  
“We are pleased as well. It is for your benefit that we chose to take this fluid with us, to continue our healthy friendship.”

They sit and drink quietly for about a minute, something which all three seem capable of. Cierah has always been comfortable with silences, even when she’s in someone’s company, and Vector appears to share this notion. Whether Lokin likes it too is hard to say, but he often drifts off in moments like these, either into something he wishes to ponder, or a memory. Currently, she somehow suspects it is the latter. 

Eventually, the Doctor breaks the silence.  
“You know, I looked at your dossier when I was first reassigned to your ship.”

Cierah is just about to have another sip, but stops halfway and arches her brow skeptically.  
“You did?”

“Yes.” His blue eyes meet her grey one, but he remains relatively calm.  
“Ah, no need to give me that look, Cipher. It is something I do for every assignment, not just this one. It’s a habit, after many years in the service.”

Perhaps, but does that make it right?  
“If you say so.”

“I noticed in your files that you have served with Watcher 24.”

“I did. He was a mentor of sorts to me, before I received an official designation.” 

Lokin drinks some more before he responds again.  
“I’m glad to hear it. You were lucky; Watcher 24 is a good man, a good agent.”

He says it with quite a bit of confidence and certainty, which surprises Cierah.  
“Do you know him?”

“I do, yes. Well, not intimately, but we were acquaintances, I would say. We first met in the last war.”  
As he continues to speak now, his gaze grows a little bit distant once more.  
“We were stationed in some sort of outpost, in the outer layers of the Empire, or what was considered to be in that region back then. The Republic were hammering our buildings with artillery and it was looking rather grim.  
We had both been assigned to a small group of imperial agents, with him as the only Watcher and me as the only Fixer. Our initial mission was to aid Cipher Fourteen in sabotaging for the Republic. Our purpose was to escape during the assault and work our way around the Republic offensive line while they were busy. However, the Empire faced a dire situation when their defenses started malfunctioning.  
At that stage, it would’ve jeopardized the outpost, probably letting them fall. It’s likely that all agents could’ve escaped unharmed anyway, but we would know that we had sacrificed imperial soldiers for our success. Watcher 24 couldn’t quite accept that.”

Cierah slowly moves her finger at the top of her glass.  
“How come? I thought those were the type of sacrifices we always have to make.”

He meets her gaze with a rather ambiguous one of his own.  
“Sometimes, perhaps even often, but not always. I don’t know why, but in this one occasion, he realized that we could help them repair their defenses and at least hold the Republic back long enough for another imperial force to flank them.  
I’m not sure if he knew something I didn’t, or if he had some personal reason to resist, but when he asked for my aid, I gave it. Together, we saved a lot of men and women that day.”

“What happened to the mission?”

“Failed, of course, and the Cipher was disappointed, but she survived at least. We attained that information a few weeks later, utilizing another plan.”

Was this a lesson of sorts? Advice, perhaps? Or was it simply on his mind?  
Regardless, she snorts and lifts the glass up to her mouth.  
“I wouldn’t think it’s wise to screw up a mission like that, but at least the Empire didn’t lose.”

His lips curl into a small smile.  
“You used to be an army officer, did you not? I thought you would appreciate such actions.”

“Perhaps, but I am also an imperial. I serve the purposes of the Empire, no matter what, Doctor.”

Lokin’s eyes move downwards then, to the table, his expression shifting into something more melancholic.  
“I remember many days from the war, both fondly and less so. It all depends on the circumstances.  
I am glad Watcher 24 survived some of the worst moments, though. Everyone were not as lucky, including Intelligence. Unfortunately, while the soldiers are remembered, those in our business simply disappear.”

Neither Vector nor Cierah have much to say in response. They hope that the silence will be enough to express their feelings. In general, both can be rather restrained when it comes to emotional outbursts, something that stands in contrast to more open individuals, like Lokin and Kaliyo. Then again, is Lokin’s openness a sign of his personality, or merely a trained behavior in public? One can never know with agents, which she is proof of.

For now, they stay quiet a bit longer, drinking some more. During the silence, Vector seems to work his way up to another topic. Eventually, he thinks it’s time to stop ignoring it.  
“We wanted to ask you something moderately personal, Cierah, if that is alright.”

“Sure, go ahead.”

“We have heard that your surname is Draconius. Are you by any chance related to Dreya and Margetha Draconius?”

Not quite the type of question she had expected, and it instinctively makes her regard him with suspicion.  
“Have you been looking through my files as well? Or spying on me, perhaps?”

He widens eyes in surprise and raises a hand defensively.  
“N-no, we…we did not mean anything by it. We simply knew of their names beforehand. Draconius is a respected family with a long history.”

If he was a diplomat, perhaps it shouldn’t be so strange. It is true that the name, even outside of her direct family, is rather well-known. For now, she simply sighs.  
“Yes, they are my mothers. I have a sister in the army as well, Lieutenant Vivianna.”

Vector seems to calm down somewhat and inclines his head.  
“We see. We have not heard this name, but are quite familiar with that of Admiral Dreya. She has a remarkable history, especially during the war, with many astounding victories.  
However, we are even more acquainted with the name of Margetha, as she has worked with Diplomatic Service in the past.”

“You encountered her?”

“Indeed. She is very pleasant in conversations and intelligent too, although perhaps not quite the most decisive. Her administrative skills were astonishing, however. She took care of certain tasks that would normally require three or four people. It appeared as if many wished to recruit her afterwards.”

Such praise changes Cierah’s mood, and she looks amused instead.  
“That sounds like mu-…Margetha. She is somewhat gentler, while Dreya is the type of person you would expect to be a leader. I have learned much from both.”

He nods knowingly.  
“We understand why. They are very capable women.  
We do not mean to impose, but we do wonder, do you miss them? Intelligence must force you to make certain sacrifices.”

Part of her doesn’t wish to answer that question, for obvious reasons. She has always been a rather private individual, and only feels confident about these topics when she’s actually with her family.  
However, seeing how Vector’s situation is quite unusual too, she has sympathy for his curiosity. What’s the harm?  
“I do. My family has always been…very close. Both our mothers were always there for me and my sister, whenever necessary. Sure, they were sent off on missions or critical tasks, but they called and kept in contact as often as possible. Being away from them like this is…” She takes a deep breath. “I will not deny that it’s hard.”

While he does not have irises like hers, she still feels as if a notion of comprehension shimmers through them.  
“We can understand such a sentiment. Thank you for explaining.”

They continue drinking for a while then, discussing some more lighthearted topics and generally trying to enjoy themselves.  
Eventually, Lokin seems to have become quite influenced by it, his eyes looking fairly unfocused and he doesn’t sit or move as steadily anymore.  
“I must say, this stuff you provided us with is very potent, Vector.”

His speech sounds somewhat slurred, which happens to bring a smile to Cierah’s lips.  
“I don’t think you can deny being drunk any more, Doctor.”

“Drunk? Drunk!? You should not assume so much, Cipher! I can take a lot more than you might believe.”  
He looks a little bit confused.  
“…what’s with you two? How come you seem to be fine? Have you not been drinking?”

“I have”, Cierah admits.

“So have we”, says Vector. “It would seem our situations are somewhat different, however.  
Killik anatomy is constructed in such a way that alcoholic beverages crafted by humanoids usually will not have much of an effect. We can resist it.”

Cierah snorts amusedly.  
“Should have expected as much. As for me, I have a multitude of interior implants, some which are specifically tuned to protect me from becoming intoxicated or poisoned. I did not feel like becoming drunk at this time, so I merely initiated them before we began.”

Lokin sighs and buries his forehead in his hand.  
“Unbelievable. Youngsters these days! Can’t even enjoy a good drink without complicating matters. I will have to call the Minister when we get back to Kaas City and ask him to join me.”

For the first time this day, the other two starts to chuckle.


	3. The treacherous torment

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _Yesterday was Vector and Lokin, so today we're dealing with Jadus._   
>  _I think I've only ever hinted to it in the past, but I've never actually dealt with what happened between Cipher Nine and Jadus in my ficverse. Well, let's change that, shall we?_
> 
> _Most of this chapter is from the encounter with Jadus at the end of the IA chapter 1 story. It's a slightly altered version of the game's dialogue, with some of Cierah's reactions and thoughts. Oh, also my own ending._

Truth, that’s all she wants. Answers for all that has been done, for what she has had to suffer through and prevent. Everything they’ve fought up until this point cannot have been for nothing, and she will not be tricked to stop a mere puppet. She was always going to find the source, no matter what.  
After having defeated the Eagle, the supposed leader of the terrorist network, she found out it was all a lie. He was being used by a benefactor, someone from within the Empire, more knowledgeable than him. Who would be both smart and treacherous enough to do this?

After taking Kaliyo with her, Cierah entered the dreadnought they had located in the middle of an empty system, both of them armored and armed to the teeth.  
What they faced inside was…a blur. Crazed imperial soldiers, rampant droids and messages that made little sense. Well, it has at least answered some questions, but mostly helped her in concluding that they’re facing some kind of powerful Sith. Who else could affect these people in such adverse ways? 

Moving through the ship, they eventually end up outside the doors to the room at the very front of the top level, with Kaliyo and her taking one side each, leaning against the wall. The rattataki squeezes her rifle, while Cierah pushes her sniper to her chest. She opens her mouth and speaks quietly, giving a signal to the one she’s connected with over her communications implant.  
“Watcher Two, we’re at the bridge. All clues point in this direction. We will move in and investigate.”

This Watcher is one of the people Cierah trusts the most in Intelligence, and one she has grown to care for in certain regards. It was not her choice to let Watcher Two join her in such a dangerous area, but she can’t really deal with the Eradicators, the weapons that might cripple the Empire, unless Watcher Two is there. At this time, she’s waiting in the hangar bay with the Rogue Warden.  
“Acknowledged”, she hears the other woman saying. “Be careful in there. We don’t know what to expect.”

“Don’t worry, we won’t take any hasty actions when we’ve come this far”, is what she says, but if this is about saving the Empire, Cierah intends to do what’s necessary. 

Shortly after, she inclines her head at Kaliyo, and the rattataki pushes a button on the side of the entrance, making the heavy blast doors slide open. They aim their weapons inside and enter the room.  
At first glance, they see nothing out of the ordinary. Functional bridge consoles, terminals and screens, weapon caches stationed in the corners, ceiling lamps illuminating most sections of the room, and imperial banners erected in very visible locations. However, the only confusing aspect is the fact that there is no one around, no personnel of any kind. That is until they notice a few individuals at the far end, one working on a terminal, while two others stand guard. 

The duo proceeds, not firing yet, but keeping their potential enemies within their line of sight. The closer they get, the more unnerved Cierah feels, but it’s not due to her own actions. The room seems to get colder on this end, unnaturally so, and she senses something on her skin, running through her body.  
“You feel that prickling?”, Kaliyo asks quietly. “Like maggots or something. This is fucking weird…”

“Quiet”, Cierah tells her. 

Once they’re no more than a few meters away from the stairs to the last raised platform, Cierah studies the people in front of them, noticing familiar elements in the outfits, but not the individuals. From the number of implants they’re equipped with, the clothes they wear and the weapons they wield, Cierah recognizes them. She has met these unmoving, rigid servants before. That can only mean…

“So, here we are. You’ve arrived at last. I have to admit that I was skeptical when I felt your presence, as I had underestimated you for the longest time. This was a mistake on my part. You served me well on Nal Hutta and Dromund Kaas. I should have known you would serve me again.”

Cierah widen her eye slightly, lowering her rifle. She hears her comm unit activating again.  
“That voice. No, it can’t be…”, Watcher Two says quietly, accurately describing Cierah’s feelings as well.

“Darth Jadus?”, Cierah asks. “But…you died. I was sure you perished in the Dominator’s destruction.”

The tall Sith, dressed as he was the last time she saw him in red, grey and black robes, along with protective plates, remains by his console.  
“It seems I am not the only one with false assumptions, then. The Dominator is the vessel you are currently standing in. This is the world as I have remade it.”

His monotone and cold voice is becoming all too familiar to her, as an echo in the back of her mind.  
“Are you responsible for this? Are you the one we have been looking for?”

Obvious questions, perhaps, but she needs to hear it, needs to have it confirmed.  
“Everything that has transpired has been at my command. My will is the destiny of lesser men.”

While Cierah is obviously distraught at hearing this, shocked at the implications, she cannot properly express it. That is why Kaliyo does it for her.  
She grits her teeth and raises her rifle.  
“You’re the asshole we’ve been chasing? Good to know. Let’s finish this shit.”

“Wait, Kaliyo!”, Cierah tries to say, but it’s too late.

The rattataki does not hesitate, firing several rounds against the Sith, or at least what she believes to be his position, but it is all rather fruitless. Jadus has already disappeared, dematerialized from the location he was previously at. Kaliyo looks at it in surprise, wondering what just happened, and if that wasn’t a little bit too easy. It shows she’s correct when he reappears right in front of her, raises his hand, and she feels something grasping at her neck, lifting her into the air. The pressure and pain on her skin makes her unable to speak.

Cierah turns her gaze towards the man in front of her, now seeing his visage fully. The faceless mask, without any traces of eyes, mouth, nose or anything else. He’s a blank page in that sense, an empty void, and yet the aura around him is so unsettling that it cannot be ignored.  
“Your follower believes she has been betrayed. She is incorrect. Her life is meaningless and beneath me.”

The sight and sounds from Kaliyo twists something inside of Cierah, filling her with a fear she hadn’t expected. While the rattataki may be a hassle most of the time, she has become an important member of the agent’s crew. She can’t be lost now.  
“My lord, please, release her! She is not who you want.”

Jadus keeps squeezing the other woman with the Force, while he slowly and gradually turns the front of his mask towards Cierah. He seems to stare at her, even if she can’t stare back, contemplating her request. Eventually, he gives a brief nod and disappears. At the same time, Kaliyo drops down on the ground, breathing in the air around her desperately, her throat emitting painful coughs.  
Cierah drops to her knee, putting the free hand on her companion’s back.

“Kaliyo, are you alright?”, she asks in a whisper.

The rattataki fights to get herself up into a sitting position again, one hand still held over her throat to massage it, while one of her eyes is also closed due to the pain she suffered.  
“That…creepy fucking asshole”, she says in a hoarse voice. “I’m going to destroy him.”

“No, you’re not. Not like this. Stay back and leave this to me. Wait for my command.”

Kaliyo looks up, facing Cierah with disappointment on her features, but she soon understands there’s no choice. She nods curtly, grabbing her rifle and takes a step to the side, leaving this situation to the agent.  
While Cierah rises, she notices that Jadus is now standing at the top of the stairs, his arms behind his back, body turned towards her. He really is tall, much more so than her. According to his official profile, he’s at least two meters in height, but in person, it feels like more.

“Accept the gift of your life, agent”, he says calmly, “and we shall discuss terror, the Empire and the Sith.”

Before she can respond, Cierah hears Watcher Two’s voice once more.  
“I know you’re already aware of this but, please, be careful, Cipher. Jadus is…  
Listen, I’m trying to analyze the situation, getting as much information as I can, but this will take time. If he has the command codes…”

She doesn’t finish, but doesn’t need to say more anyway. Cierah knows what is at stake. She faces Jadus, lifts her weapon up and tosses the strap of it around her arm, holstering it on her back.  
“You have intrigued me, my lord. Feel free to speak, and I shall listen.”

Jadus inclines his head.  
“Good, then allow me to explain.  
As I mentioned previously, it is by my design that everything has transpired. It was my desire that the Eagle unite the terror cells, it was my desire that my flagship be destroyed. A lot of waste, you might think, but it was all for a purpose – to evade the Dark Council. I needed weapons which the Council would overlook. Unwittingly, the terrorists became my servants, moving along the paths that I laid out for them.”

How long has he been planning this? Where did it all begin? Was really everyone in the Dark Council unaware of it, or does he have more allies somewhere?  
“The Dark Council? I don’t see the connection.”

“No? That is the entire connection, agent. A member of the Dark Council is forced to do many things in order to maintain their position. There are always rivals, traitors, unexpected plots. Every single member fights for their own power, their own gain. To survive, one must tackle them at every step. It is a notion and a procedure which I find unimaginably wasteful.”

“So, you…took another path?”

Jadus nods, turns his back on her and begins to slowly pace over the platform.  
“With my false death, I escaped not only the eyes of the Dark Council, but Imperial Intelligence as well. I took with me the worthiest passengers I could locate, and journeyed into the shadows, waiting for the right moment.”

Cierah folds her arms and gives it some thought. Not everything here makes sense.  
“But, how did you survive? I was there when it happened. We saw your ship explode, disintegrate.”

He merely shakes his head.  
“No, you did not. You saw the explosion from your sensors, which I allowed, but it was never entirely destroyed. The shvash gas, which you could monitor, incinerated only parts of the ship. My power was enough to keep the rest of it intact.”

That makes her hesitate. His power held the ship together? One Sith prevented it from being destroyed? How is that even possible?  
The silence grows into a few seconds, and Watcher Two is soon heard over the comms again.  
“Please, Cipher, keep him talking. I still need more time.”  
She sighs.  
“Stars…I’m not sure how we’re going to do this. What chance do we have? I don’t know if you have read the Intelligence reports but, all we’ve seen indicates that Jadus may be second to the Emperor. If his power is unleashed here…”

“And what then, my lord?”, Cierah asks, directing it towards Jadus.  
“What was the next step?”

The Sith stands by one of the windows, keeping his arms behind his back. It’s rather confident in a way, having him so exposed to her. A good sniper could easily take someone down from this angle, which she certainly is, but after having seen the last display, it’s obvious she could never succeed.  
“My absence accomplished two things. First was the diminution of the Dark Council. It was an effective measure in order to let my rivals bicker amongst themselves, trying to seize all of my former resources and weaponry. Zhorrid became their target and they unleashed everything they could at her.”  
He glances over his shoulder, or at least his mask does.  
“My daughter is doomed, but she has served her purpose as a useful distraction.”

Cold. She knew of their difficult relationship from previous intel, and even some things that Zhorrid has told her, but now she gets to hear just what he thinks of his daughter directly. Cierah has seen that Sith can be harsh with their children, and yet Jadus seems to reach another level.  
Before she manages to respond, there’s another message from Watcher Two.  
“Cipher, I’m trying to call for reinforcements, but I cannot do anything as long as the jamming field within the ship is activated. I know you may wish to fight, but we can’t. We would need at least an army to stop him. Remember that before you move.”

As if it wasn’t difficult enough that Cierah can only barely breath the air in here, due to Jadus’ presence. There’s so much at stake that she feels as if she’s losing her mind. Or perhaps that’s also his influence.  
“You said your death accomplished two things, my lord. What was the second?”

Jadus has not yet moved. She wonders if he’s amused by her behavior, by her questions. Is he aware of what’s going on? Does he know Watcher Two is in there? Could he only sense Cierah due to the ritual he enacted on her months ago?  
“Bringing chaos to the Sith was effective, but not the only part of my plan; the rest of the Empire had to be prepared for my ascension as well. That is why I needed the Eagle. His purpose was to sow terror and hatred among the populace, confusing both officials and civilians.”  
He slowly turns back to her, wandering into the position he was at before, by the stairs.  
“I required time for my Eradicators to grow, to reach the status of their activation. Such a point has finally arrived, and they are ready. My victory is at hand.”

Cierah furrows her brow.  
“Your victory?”

“Indeed.”

“Against what?”

“Surely you have come to realize the power of the Eradicators by now. They will destroy the strongholds and apprentices of my enemies on the Dark Council, while simultaneously sowing fear into the heart of the Empire.  
This will be the signal for my return, to take charge of the ashes, and lead the Empire into a new era – an epoch of terror.”

Well, he’s certainly not lacking in arrogance. She knew his weapons were powerful, but to such an extent? Obviously, he has made a lot of plans already, and it is impressive, but there must be something he has overlooked. He didn’t manage to stop her, after all.  
“Take charge? Are you not getting ahead of yourself, my lord? What of the Emperor? He will step up to prevent your challenge to his rule.”

Jadus moves his head slightly, facing his mask into the distance.  
“The Emperor is…distracted. I could strike against him and his powerbase at this time, reshape the nature of his temple into a monument to my glory, and he would be powerless to stop it.”  
He snorts amusedly.  
“Perhaps I shall do exactly that.”

Despite her situation and her feelings on Sith in general, Cierah must admit that there’s an instinctive blaze of anger in her heart when she hears it. The Emperor created their society, lead them into relative safety and gave them a chance to grow. Jadus would destroy all of that for his own amusement? For his own pitiful gain?  
“And then what? You will lead us all?”

“Indeed. Under my rule, the very reality of the Empire will change. Fear, anger, degradation, agony are elements which the Sith have hoarded for too long. I shall allow everyone to partake of their fruitful reward.”  
He moves his arms, letting them hang from his sides.  
“But as we both know, there are certain aspects currently preventing the initiation of our triumphant future.”

“Ah, I see”, Watcher Two says on the comm.  
“He can't act yet. You have one half of the command codes, the ones you received from the Eagle’s base.”

“The codes”, Cierah says out loud, although mostly in thought, a slight accident. 

Fortunately, Jadus confirms it.  
“Correct. Without both sets of command codes to the Eradicators, they will fire blindly and while there will still be destruction, it will not be calculated. Only chaos will roam across the Empire.” 

Cierah folds her arms, feeling how the beginning of a plan forms in her mind, but she needs to think, to evolve it.  
“It appears we have a rather interesting situation at our hands then. I have one set of the codes, and you have the other.”

“Interesting indeed, but also dangerous. Firing the Eradicators blindly will serve neither of our purposes, no matter your reasons for coming here. I have a proposition which you might find intriguing, however.”  
Once more, he slowly starts to walk back and forth over the platform, keeping his mask in her direction.  
“You have served the Empire for a long time, Cipher Nine, had to struggle for the cause of your superiors and the Sith, but always with a limited goal. You were a pawn in the schemes of others, no more than a cog in the wheel of the Empire. Should you choose to aid me now, you will be more than you could have ever imagined. You will be rewarded, promoted into the finest of positions under my reign. You shall be my herald, the Hand of Jadus.”

He has already thought of a fancy title? Not an inherently surprising idea, perhaps. The Sith have always thought of their power ahead of anything else, and in Jadus case, even before his own family.  
“You will have to forgive me if I remain skeptical, my lord. Last time you promised me a reward, you faked your own death and disappeared. How will this be different?”

Jadus slows down and inclines his head.  
“This is true, but it was a mistake on my part. I misunderstood your role at the time. As my eyes have been opened, the gifts I can offer now will be unlike anything you have ever seen.  
Imagine it for a moment, if you will. Under my rule, Intelligence shall have power unmatched by any other institution, uncompromised by Sith politics.”  
He raises a hand, clenching his fingers.  
“Consider an Empire where fear controls the populace, and the eyes of Intelligence are everywhere, in every corner. Together, we can strengthen the Empire, bringing a new vision for the future.”

As he has now stopped, Cierah starts to move instead, pacing around her position a few meters away. What he has said is certainly interesting from one angle. Who doesn’t want such power, to be able to act without being questioned by Sith at all times?  
But, simultaneously, can she ever live in such a society? Will there be a place to be yourself, for people to grow and learn what life holds? The terror and control would be worse than what the Sith currently manages to enact. 

“A comprehensive plan, my lord. I admire your cunning and resolve, but I still question certain aspects, most of which pertain to the immediate future. Let’s say I refuse your offer – what then?”

Jadus snorts, unimpressed by her doubt.  
“You question my vision, but I question your sanity. You understand my power, do you not? You are a mere imperial, blind to the terrible reach of the Force. Should you refuse, I will destroy you where you stand and move on. The Eradicators will be activated, and as my tools, they will wreak havoc, just as I planned. You will simply disappear into the annals of the forgotten.”  
The tension around him eases somewhat and he lets his arms hang calmly at his sides again.  
“However, I do not wish for your death, agent, as you have proven to be useful already. It is a truth I can no longer ignore.  
I understand if this is hard to comprehend for a mind such as yours, Cipher, and therefore, I will be merciful. I shall give you time to ponder your role, before you accept this new path. After you are done, we can begin the real work.”

Being as confident as ever, Jadus doesn’t wait another moment and instead turns to the consoles at the front, moving towards them once more. He thinks she’ll just let him win without a struggle?  
“You haven’t thought this through, my lord. What purpose would my destruction serve? I have the other codes. Kill me, and they are gone forever.”

He stops then, and she’s not entirely sure, but she almost feels as if she can see him clenching his hand in a more exasperated state. Jadus looks over his shoulder again and snorts.  
“A foolhardy point, Cipher. You already realize that I can use the Eradicators, with or without you. If you do not work with me, you will be dead, and while neither of us will achieve our desire, only I will be in a position to form a new plan.”

She can’t quite tell from his voice, but she’s sure that there’s an uncertainty here, a crack in his determination. She has to act, to push and see how far she can take it.  
“Your words are strong, but the purpose behind them is not. You are not at such an advantage as you may think.”

Suddenly, out of nowhere, the unnatural cold in the area appears to return. Jadus shift his body completely towards her and wanders back to the edge of the stairs, looking down at her.  
“Your boldness is growing into arrogance, agent. Be careful with what you say”, he warns her, the tone of his voice getting somewhat grimmer.

“Cipher, listen to him!”, Watcher Two exclaims. “What did I tell you earlier? You can’t fight him! He’s not just Sith, but unimaginably powerful too!”

“You are in my sanctuary, agent. My strength is absolute and my will decides the fate of anyone within. What chance can you possibly have?”

Cierah places her hands on her hips, feeling how her fingers are vibrating somewhat. She may not give in, but the fear is still present, unmistakable.  
“I may not have an advantage, but that does not mean I can’t stop you later down the line. This entire conversation is being recorded. If I die, others will come after you. They already know your plan, and can work to counteract it.”

He scoffs.  
“What, the allies on your ship? Ridiculous. They are nothing. If they challenge me, they will die just like you.” 

There’s not panic in his voice, but certainly irritation. She wonders if anyone has ever challenged him before, ever stood defiant against his power.  
“And what if they flee? You will chase after them, I’m sure, but if even one of them survives, the information will spread. What if others find out?”

Jadus waves dismissively.  
“I do not fear anyone, agent, you should already be aware of this. Let them tell the galaxy, and I shall shatter it at every step.”

Cierah slowly shakes her head.  
“I don’t believe you, and I don’t think you do either. Can you truly face everything that this galaxy has to offer? The Sith? The Jedi? The armies and fleets of both the Republic and the Empire? The joint forces of the Hutt Cartel? Even your own terror network?”

“I am prepared for _any_ foe. None of them stand a chance against my brilliance. Would you really believe otherwise? You have seen what I am capable of, the levels of devastation I can reach.” 

Taking a step forward, she lifts her hand and points at him.  
“A blatant lie. You already admitted that you faked the destruction of the Dominator, in order to hide and evade the public eye. If you could face them all, you would have done so, instead of scurrying into the shadows of the galaxy.”

His next scoff is almost on the verge of a growl and his hands are clenched tightly now.  
“Arrogant creature!”  
The image of him starts to change, be distorted. The dark side of the Force flows around him, becoming visible for those present. To the side, Cierah can see how even Kaliyo is unnerved by it.  
“Suppose your allies manage to flee my wrath, suppose they manage to unite my enemies and gather an army to take me down. What will it matter? I can still _crush_ you like the gnat you are.”

“Please, Cierah, stand down!”, Watcher Two’s voice is heard over the comm.  
“Don’t let him kill you, I beg you! We can think of another plan, I swear!”

When his hand is squeezed shut, the very air seems to vibrate, and Cierah feels how it’s becoming difficult to stand.  
“Are you so willing to die for a foolish cause, agent? The Empire does not care for you, and you are nothing to the Sith.  
Do you really think that anyone can resist the threat I pose? Are you _that_ confident in your victory?”  
Her sight momentarily becomes blurry, and she feels as if her mind is being impaled by invisible forces. Flashes of visions shoot through her gaze, of horrible realities that might occur. She sees endless destruction, rivers of blood, piles of bodies, many of whom she recognizes.  
“Think hard before you respond to me, Cipher. Your next words may end in obliteration.  
If you are truly willing to face death, shall I test your resolve?”

Despite what everything is telling her – her mind, her body, Jadus, Watcher Two, Kaliyo, perhaps reality itself – she refuses to stand down. She gives him the only reply she can manage.  
“Go ahead and kill my, Jadus. I do not fear death. You have already lost, and you know this.”

Her words are quite strained, but they are heard by everyone, making her comrades hold their breaths.  
Fortunately, in an instant, the power of the dark side disperses, and Jadus shifts his hands to a location behind him once more, as he calms down.  
“Yes, perhaps I have. It seems I should have been more cautious. I should have stopped you long ago, before you were allowed to approach the Eagle. I am impressed by your actions. My misunderstanding was a critical flaw.  
I admit my defeat at your hands and I am ready to bargain.”  
He gestures around him.  
“I will give you the ship, all the resources within, and the second set of codes. Then, I shall leave. I will be a threat to you no longer.”

Cierah feels herself panting somewhat, which she finds a little bit embarrassing, as he is practically unmoved, but she tries to remain firm. At least a sense of relief warms her.  
“What do you intend to do once you have left?”

“What I have always done."  
Great. Vague as always.  
“You win, agent. I shall withdraw from this battle, before it becomes a war, something I have never desired.”

He starts to walk away, towards a side door, which leads out of this bridge and likely to a personal extraction zone. Over the comm, Watcher Two is shocked.  
“Did…did he really just…?”

Jadus continues to speak during the departure.  
“The Dominator’s weapon systems are currently disabled, but I ask you to pursue no vendetta overall. If you do not, then I shall pursue none.”

Standing up a bit straighter, Cierah crosses her arms over her chest.  
“I hope you understand when I say that I cannot make any promises, especially on behalf of the Dark Council.”

“I expect none.”  
His servants are following him, but he stops before he’s out the door, glancing over his shoulder again.  
“Farewell, Cipher Nine. Know that few creatures survive earning both my hatred and my respect.”

He leaves, but Cierah gives him no last words in return. Instead, she waits until he’s out of view and then wanders towards one of the nearby control terminals.  
It’s not until his shuttle has lifted off that Watcher Two enters the bridge, having hurried through the ship.  
“Cipher! Oh, thank the Emperor. I didn’t know what-…  
Nevermind. What you did was amazing! You just talked down a lord of the Dark Council! That is unprecedented. I’m not even sure what-“  
She has to stop again, as she sees how Cierah seems to be working quite rigorously on something.  
“What are you doing?”

Cierah has a look of determination in her eye, with Kaliyo still patrolling the area.  
“I will not let him escape, Watcher. Not after all this time.”

Watcher Two is somewhat shocked, that Cierah refuses to stop after the deal they appeared to make.  
“But…it’s too late. He is already in his shuttle, and will soon be out of range. The weapons are disabled, I already confirmed this.”

“Yes, disabled, but not nonfunctional. He has locked them behind a special network access that he believed only he could attain. Fortunately, he underestimated me again.”  
A few lights start to blink on other consoles, and a noise is heard in the distance.  
“Main ion cannon is operational. It’s not on 100%, but should have enough power for one shot.”

Widening her eyes, Watcher Two approaches her side and reads all the numbers and texts running down the length of the screen.  
“But…are you certain of this, Cipher? If you do this, I’m not sure what consequences will occur.”

Cierah snorts.  
“But I do. Targeting Jadus’ vessel. The shuttle does not have enough speed nor evasive capabilities to avoid a strike of this magnitude.”

“Agent, we have to-“

“Firing main cannon.”

She does not wait for any further advice from anyone, moving her finger towards the button that she knows belongs to this exact action…and pushes it.  
The whole ship, still not being in perfect condition, especially with Jadus’ absence, shakes and rattles as it releases a large array of blaster fire, surging off into the direction of the shuttle. It only takes a few seconds before they have the results. 

Watcher Two approaches the sensors equipment, reading what it has to tell her in shock.  
“The…the vessel was destroyed. It’s nothing but dust and debris out there now.”

Cierah pushes herself from the console she has been leaning against for the past few minutes and takes a deep breath. Finally, the tension in the air is gone.


	4. The unexpected morality

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _Right. Jadus yesterday, Raina today._   
>  _This chapter became muuuch longer than I anticipated. I just sort of got caught up in the moment. I'm not entirely satisfied with the last section for this reason, as it was a little bit of a blur._

There is little else to see and hear other than an impenetrable fog and a howling wind, covering all sections within their path. While their instincts tell them to turn back and leave this miserable pit behind, that is not a choice they can entertain. They need to get through it, and quickly as well, before any of their opponents seize the advantage.

Out in the darkness, by the foot of a rather cold and desolate mountain, somewhere on a world in between the Outer Rim and hutt territory, it’s possible to find two figures making a journey through this cumbersome landscape. Both of them are difficult to see and differentiate, due to not only wearing dark armor that blends into the environment, but hazmat applications as well. The purpose of this should be evident, as the very air on this world’s atmosphere is poisonous. On Quesh, it’s enough to take a few stims to contain it, but that isn’t an option here. As they’re both humans, they’d likely die in minutes. 

Their movements are not aimless, of course, as they search for something very specific. There’s a location somewhere near this mountain that they need to reach, and by their speed and reactions, it’s important that they get there soon. Every now and then, they raise their heads to peer up at the sky, searching the clouds for such things that their armors’ radars might not spot, however unlikely that is. It’s been hours since they landed, and yet their uncertainty seems to rise constantly.  
There can be no doubt that they’re both quite heavily geared. The armors are obviously sturdy, their weapons some of the latest models, survival kits that will make them last for days or maybe weeks, and even a set of good comm units that will allow them to reach each other without interference. For now, they don’t use such methods, though. 

After a few more minutes, the one at the back suddenly notices something on the radar, glances over their shoulder and then hurries forward. They put a hand on their friend’s shoulder, pushes both forward and hides behind a few rocks.  
As both watch the skies, they see how a vessel travels past them, a few hundred meters up in the air. It’s a speeder, or possibly a shuttle, equipped with weaponry. They doubt it’s here to hunt the local wildlife.

One of the two - Ensign Raina Temple – turns towards her companion and inclines her head.  
“Thank you for warning me, sir. I must have been distracted”, she says, her voice being heard through the communications system.

Cierah still watches the skies when she hears it, but nods curtly.  
“I figured as much. This is why I had to go with you.” 

After standing back up again, Raina turns towards the uneven and jagged path ahead, letting her gaze follow the craft in the distance.  
“It’s starting to make me worried, though. This is the fourth one we’ve seen this hour. This can’t be a good sign.”

Without hesitation, Cierah joins her and makes sure that all of her gear has stayed intact.  
“I agree. It can only mean one thing – they’ve minimized the range to their target even further. They will find him soon, unless we get there first.”

While she looks at Raina, it’s hard to determine any reaction, due to the rather small visor, which is also black. The younger woman wants to say something, but can’t think of a proper response, nothing that would matter here. Instead, she continues to walk, hoping she can get some sign of what to do. 

Cierah sighs and follows, knowing that it’s hard for her. How long has it been now since Raina joined her? Probably months, and it’s during a period of time when a lot of things have changed.  
Their first meeting was fortuitous, but also a hectic. Cierah was being used by the Republic against her will, while doing her best to sabotage for them in a double agent role. Eventually, she found a way to break herself free from the conditioning, only to realize that the Minister of Intelligence had authorized the entire thing and she had been betrayed by the Sith who now fears her. After slaughtering most of the SIS cell she was assigned to, her team was tossed in the path of another opponent, some kind of hidden conspiracy, the one she has been battling with lately. 

Her focus should be on finding and stopping this conspiracy, but clues to their locations have been rare, and she can’t deny that her doubts about the Sith have been distracting her. This is why Raina’s news regarding her father – the former Cipher Three – came at an opportune time. Apparently, the Sith were on the verge of finding him, and Raina wanted to act. However, it’s the conclusion to this mission that has put the two agents in a difficult situation.

“What are you thinking, Raina? We need some sort of plan before we get there.”

“Yes, I know that”, is the initial response, before she emits a sigh of her own. “I…haven’t decided.” 

“Why not?”

Raina slowly shakes her head, doubting her own resolve. It was fierce before she chose to speak with her superior about it, but now, things are not as easy.  
“There’s simply too much to think about, to consider.”

Cierah doesn’t blame her, as the consequences of this decision can be dire, no matter what she chooses.  
“But you have had days to ponder it. If you don’t have anything when we get to his door, you will have to rely on instinct. This will be a severe disadvantage.”

Finally, the Ensign turns towards her, even though she continues to walk.  
“I’m well aware of that as well, but this is not an easy choice. It cannot be settled in an instant. If I’m wrong, either one of us can suffer.”

“Of course, but you have a preferred option, don’t you? Let’s go from there and see where we arrive.”

Raina nods briefly, knowing that she does, but also being aware of that Cierah might not agree.  
“Currently, I’m…leaning towards what is best. Best for us and best for the Empire.”

She should’ve expected as much. It’s what Raina had told her when the Ensign first presented the whole problematic situation, and even though the certainty has decreased, she can’t deny the reality.  
“You know I remain skeptical of it. Are you sure this is what you want? This is your father we’re talking about, your only family.”

Raina shoulders slumps and she shakes her head.  
“Of course I’m not sure, since you keep complicating matters.” She doesn’t yell when she speaks, but there’s still irritation in her voice. Normally, Cierah would be surprised by such an outburst, perhaps even reprimand someone else, but this is Raina, a woman that has practically become her protégé. Cierah can’t scold her for having these feelings.  
Shortly after, Raina sighs.  
“…I’m sorry, sir. I didn’t mean to…”

“I know”, she says, lifting a hand to gently pat the younger agent’s shoulder. “It’s alright.”

“I just-…what other choice do I have? To let the Sith capture, torture and mutilate him? That’s what will happen if we fail, if we don’t do what’s necessary. He will understand as much, I know it.” 

They’ve had this discussion a few times now, from the first moment he was mentioned, to when the news of his potential discovery was revealed, and all the way during this trek. Raina has given her opinion every time, with Cierah doing her best to struggle against such a notion.  
“I know you don’t have much hope, but I still believe we can take him away, hide him elsewhere. It’s not too late to try.”

Raina shrugs, not emitting much confidence.  
“Isn’t it, though? Where would we take him? He has been hiding for years, sir, constantly escaping the Sith’s gaze whenever he could. He has been good at it, but during all this time, it has never been enough. They always find him. Even though he’s a skilled former agent, there are so many more of them, with so much more resources. At some point, there has to be an end.”

Cierah has to admit that she feels sorry for Raina. She must’ve constantly had her own existence questioned, and any notion of family back home has never provided her with safety. The old Cierah would’ve seen the same necessity as Raina, that this is the only way, and there is nothing else that can be accepted by an imperial. And yet, the new one is…doubtful, perhaps wishes for there to still be hope.

“That end doesn’t have to mean death, Raina. You know why he hasn’t been able to flee as effectively? Because he has to do it alone. You’ve said it before, that he has never trusted anyone else to succeed, and that he doesn’t want to risk getting other people into this type of danger. We could provide him with that opportunity, to change his situation.”

While Raina is obviously reluctant, it does feel as if the idea keeps winning ground every time it’s mentioned. Or perhaps Cierah is only lying to herself.  
“Do you truly believe we can help him, sir? Remember that you will be betraying the Empire if you agree, as it’s a mission that involves aiding a traitor. Is that what you want?”

Even if they can’t see each other, due to the helmets, Cierah is affected by the implications. Her gaze becomes distant, as words echo through her mind, familiar ones from a departed phantom.  
_“It’s in your head. You can’t keep it there. It’s breaking your skull. Can you hear it crack?_  
_Can you see? Cipher Nine. Legate. Disposable operative.”_

Cierah frowns and tries to shake it off. Despite how it’s been weeks since she got out of that nightmare, she can’t seem to be rid of the consequences. How would that be possible anyway? What she suffered may ultimately have had permanent side effects. Far within, she doubts her path, hesitates regarding her past choices and what she agreed to perform in the name of duty. She’s not even sure she knows herself any more.

“This is about more than just being a traitor”, Cierah eventually tells her. “Has he ever made any strikes against the Empire? Has he leaked documents, aided terrorists or the Republic?”

Raina is silent for a moment, obviously not knowing exactly how to respond in a way that won’t benefit her companion.  
“Well, no, but-“

“Exactly. Instead, he placed his daughter in hiding, where she would be safe, and ran. He hoped to avoid the gaze of the Sith, rather than lash out against it. Not once did he ever retaliate.”

Raina sighs, trying her best to dismiss such thoughts, as they won’t help her. At least not with her resolve.  
“Does it matter? He is still a traitor according to the Sith, and if they get to him, they will not be merciful.”

“So, you think that’s fair then? That he needs to be punished, despite the circumstances? He doesn’t deserve a second chance?”

While it’s obvious that Raina is surprised, Cierah practically shocks herself too, that she would be so adamant in his defense. Then again, this does hit rather close to home, doesn’t it?  
“I…I don’t know. I wish I had a clear answer, but I don’t.”

Cierah nods briefly.  
“I understand this is difficult for you, Raina, and I won’t blame you for feeling that way, but he is your father. If my mothers or sister were in trouble, for doing something to endanger themselves in the eyes of the Sith, I would be willing to make sacrifices to protect them, no matter what.”

They have had a few conversations about family, most of which have been rather one-sided, due to Cierah having much more history. However, it has helped to display how important this topic is to her, and how fiercely she would struggle. If Cierah is willing to help, shouldn’t Raina accept it?  
For now, she bites her lip, hoping to locate something within the depths her mind, a hidden truth she hadn’t seen previously. Life was so much easier when she only needed to do what’s best for the Ascendancy, when she worked for the chiss. 

Before she has a chance to make up her mind, they spot more movement in the sky. Another vessel makes its way close to their location by the mountain, but instead of flying over them in a patrolling pattern, this time, it seems to have a visible goal. It flies towards a specific position with purpose, unsettling the agent duo.  
“Shit”, Cierah whispers. “They must’ve found something.”

“You…think they’ve tracked him down?”

“Only one way to know for sure.”

Both of them pick up the pace, running through the terrain, over loose rocks, across patches of grass and some stray bushes here and there. They hope they’re not too late, for both theirs and his sake.  
The situation they finally end up in, once they reach their goal, is heard already from many meters away. A firefight has erupted within a crevice at the slope of the mountain. The imperial shuttle that landed seems to have contained at least a whole squad of troops, all of them firing at something at the top of the slope. Of course, it’s not actually opposing soldiers, but automated turrets, somehow embedded in the rock. These weapons seem to be protecting a heavy security door, something which blends in with its surroundings very well. It’s no surprise that it could not be hidden forever, though.

The blaster turrets are not the biggest they’ve ever seen, and the model is probably a few decades old, but they do produce quite a bit of fire. Unfortunately, these soldiers are well-trained, and not easy to kill. One or two have already been wounded, but the rest try to work slowly and methodically, crippling one turret at a time. This means their success will be inevitable, unless something is done.

Raina looks around, seeing that the shuttle stands in quite an advantageous position. Not for the soldiers, but certainly for the duo. One or two good thermal detonators might make it explode. She puts her hands towards her belt, getting ready to equip herself with such tools, but instead feels Cierah’s hand on top of hers, preventing her from proceeding.  
“Wait, I know what you’re thinking”, says the Cipher, “but a detonation like that will be seen on scanners for miles.”

Raina opens her mouth to protest, but shuts it soon after, when she realizes her folly.  
“Dammit. You’re right. What do you suggest we do, sir?”

Cierah grabs the strap from her shoulder and swings her large sniper rifle into her hands. It unfolds into its full length, scope and range-calculation module being extracted from the top.  
“They haven’t seen us yet. Get to the other side and let’s ‘cooperate’ with the turrets.”

When she looks back on the battlefield, Raina sees at least twelve soldiers still alive, and that’s not a great number, but what choice do they have?  
She nods briefly, grabs her own blaster rifle, and then runs forward in a crouched position. She reaches the other side of the opening, hunkering down behind a rock and waits for the signal from her superior.

Cierah is not only a skilled sniper, but also equipped with implants to make her even better. The mechanical eye patch opens up, giving her heat signatures and helps her track each target in order for her to choose a path to start the fight.  
She holds up a closed hand at first, as a signal to Raina, and then pushes it forward, fingers pointing ahead. Without hesitating, she puts it back into position under her weapon and starts to fire. 

A loud echoing noise can be heard through the area, as the high-caliber rifle puts a shot right into the back of the head of a soldier. Before the squad even has a chance to react, Cierah has already switched to the next in line, killing this one too with another headshot.  
The squad realizes how they’re being flanked and tries their best to remedy the situation, but they are not equipped to fight these types of operatives. 

Raina doesn’t have time to utilize her powers here, but she is a good shot as well. Two people, that try to make their way into another set of cover, are gunned down a few meters before they succeed. Another duo attempt to return fire, forcing the Ensign down behind some rocks, but these actions are stopped shortly after by another two shots from Cierah’s sniper. Raina glances over towards her superior, observing her work for a few moments. Despite how these are imperial soldiers, despite what their mission entails, and the dangers they will have to face when they continue, she doesn’t hesitate, doesn’t flinch when blaster shots fly past her. It’s in moments like these that she seems more like a droid than human, and yet Raina is more thankful than ever to have her here.

It can’t have been more than a few minutes until the entire squad lies dead on the ground, and Raina lowers her own gun, turning her gaze back to Cierah.  
“That was some very effective work, sir.”

“Thank you, but this isn’t over. The turrets have not deactivated. They will target us as well.”

Raina eyes them from a distance and realizes that Cierah is right.  
“Hmm. What do you suggest? Should we…?”

“I think disabling them is our only option, unless you prefer to run.”

“I…doubt I’m quick enough to get past them. My abilities do not pertain to any physical enhancement.”

“Yes, I’m aware”.  
Cierah gets the sniper back up.  
“Watch my back, will you? I’ll handle the turrets.”  
Another minute or so passes by, as Cierah tries to disable the automated defenses – or break them, rather – while Raina watches their surroundings, utilizing the armor’s internal sensors in order to make sure that no other vessel approaches. Eventually, the Cipher seems satisfied and stands up.  
“Done. Let’s proceed.”

Raina turns around just in time to see that Cierah has started to run towards the door and she mirrors these actions.  
“It’s likely that he has locked the door with some type of code system.”

“Not a problem. It’s time I show you my slicing capabilities as well.”

They get into similar positions as before, but this time next to the grey metal door, as Cierah connects a datapad into a small keypad on the rock wall.  
One thing the older agent notices rather quickly is how the network security of it is very tight, despite the age of the technology. Perhaps she should’ve expected as much from an imperial operative.

After yet another minute goes by, Raina finally reports something.  
“Sir, movement on the long-range scanner. I think another shuttle is looking for this one.”

“Very well, then we shall have to hurry once we’re inside.”  
Only a second after she makes this comment, they hear a click and the door slides open, revealing the darkness within.  
“I think it’s wise if you take point. We will have to pass through a decontamination zone before we enter, which means there should be air in there.”  
Raina inclines her head in understanding and proceeds, but before she can get far, Cierah seizes her shoulder.  
“Remember what I said, Raina. Just…ponder your actions.”

There’s no response from the younger agent, as she continues into the dark hallway, holstering her rifle and unsheathing a blaster pistol instead. Cierah follows her example. Once they’re inside, their journey slows down, sneaking through the corridors of the complex. They hope that they will not be spotted by the person in here, before they can act.  
After taking off their helmets, it seems Cierah was correct, as there is certainly breathable air in here, but they will both admit that it’s somewhat thick. There’s dust in quite a few corners, as well as a lot of terminals, equipment, scrap and junk. It’s hard to determine how long the inhabitant might’ve been living here, but at least long enough to get quite settled in.

The place isn’t enormous, no more than four or five rooms, but still impressive for something that supposedly a fugitive has managed to acquire out here. Thoughts run through their minds, making them wonder if it might have been utilized for something different in the past.  
At the far end of the corridor, they see lights in the gap of a door. It seems they’ve found their target, or at least his last known location for activity. They slow their steps, moving so silently that they create practically no noise whatsoever. 

Raina, who walks in front, gets all the way to the door, but instead of trying burst into it, she pushes the button to open it up, and then turns her gun to the opposite side. It seems her instincts were correct, as a man jumps out with a pistol in his hands, having been waiting for the duo.  
Due to the lights from the now unveiled room, his features become visible to them. Dark brown skin, black and somewhat greying hair, with a thick black beard and sharp brown eyes. He wears fairly good quality clothes, meant for movement and flexibility, although their origin cannot be identified. His build is fairly average, not all too slim or muscular, but his reflexes are obviously in good form.

Cierah doesn’t even need to guess, as she can almost immediately see the resemblance between the two. Within a few seconds, he can do the same, which is why he reacts with uncertainty.  
“Wait…Raina?”

Raina stares into the widened eyes of the man, distant memories flashing through her mind, things she had forgotten.  
“Father.”

He’s stunned for several moments, unsure what to say, what to do. He had obviously expected an attack, but probably not of this kind, and definitely not with these individuals.  
“Wh-what are you doing here?” It seems he still has his imperial accent, at least.  
“I...haven’t seen you in years, only received the occasional files, but…this isn’t-“  
He stops, swallowing, hesitating with how he wants to express himself. Cierah doesn’t blame him.  
“Have you joined the Sith troops? Did they recruit you to hunt me down?”

She takes a deep breath, emitting it in a shaky fashion. She still keeps the grip on her pistol hard, but she chooses to lower it for now.  
“No, they didn’t. In fact, we’re here for different reasons. We took down the squad trying to get inside, to prevent them from capturing you.” 

Her father looks mildly impressed, even throwing the pathway to the outside a glance, before also lowers his weapon.  
“All of them? That’s…I guess the chiss certainly trained you well, then.  
But, Raina, it isn’t good for you to be here. If the Sith find you now, they will come for us both. Everything I’ve done to keep you hidden will be undone. You have to leave.”

Raina merely shakes her head.  
“Don’t worry, we can handle ourselves. If we need to get out, we have our ways.  
There are…things I need to tell you, but there’s something specific you must know first.”  
She breathes in once more, trying to gather her courage. Does he know the truth already? Either way, it would only be fair if he hears it directly from her.  
“Father, I’m an operative of Imperial Intelligence now.”

It seems she continues to shock him, and his mouth is left agape for a few moments.  
“…what?! You…you joined-“ He takes an involuntarily step back, putting his hand to the wall.  
“Raina, are you mad?! Do you understand how dangerous that is? I specifically asked my allies in the Ascendancy to help you, in order to keep you away from Intelligence!”

She sighs, somehow having expected an outburst.  
“I know that, but I had no choice. They found me regardless and certain secrets of mine were…exposed. But there’s no need to fear, father. I have been working with someone I can trust, someone who helps me.”  
She gestures at Cierah.  
“Allow me to introduce my superior and mentor, Cipher Nine.”

Cipher Three, as he was once known, is still skeptical, but he turns his eyes towards Cierah, scrutinizing her. At the same time, she tries to look as friendly as possible, posing no threat.  
“I knew a Nine once, but you aren’t him. I’ve heard of you as well, though, and how skilled they say you are. Some believe you might be the most proficient agent in the current installation of Intelligence. Others have mentioned that you’ve even made a few Sith nervous.”

Cierah arches her brow in mild amusement.  
“And where might you have attained such rumors?” 

“Sorry, Nine, I cannot give away my sources. Suffice it to say, I am rather impressed by your accomplishments.”

Cierah tries to search her memories, to see if she can ever remember a moment when she has met another Cipher, but nothing comes to mind. Then again, he isn’t in an official position any more.  
“I’ve heard a lot of positive remarks about you as well, Cipher Three, although it’s rather dubious whether these things were the actual truth or mere legends.”

Three snorts and shrugs in return.  
“Well, I doubt it matters now. Everything I’ve ever done has been forgotten or stripped from my record. All I’m remembered as now is a traitor. A traitor that wanted to do nothing but protect his family.”

This silences both women, as they have become all too aware of the situation by now. Raina only remains this way for a few seconds, until she gathers enough courage to continue.  
“We’re aware of this and we have to somehow deal with it now. Unfortunately, as you may have realized, getting you out of here will not be an easy task. It will likely require a lot of effort, danger and poor odds. The Sith will come after us all, there is no doubt about that. However, there may be a solution.”

Without letting the other two react to it, she raises her gun once more, aiming it at her father and holds it there. Three is obviously surprised, and Cierah turns her eye sharply to her companion.  
“Raina…”, Cierah says quietly.

“I hope you understand, father. This endless chase can come to an end here, now, today. The Sith will never stop. They want to get ahold of you, and even if I try, we will never find peace unless we accept what will have to be done.”

For the first few seconds, he’s horrified by what she’s telling him, as if this is far from what he would’ve liked to hear. Unexpectedly, these emotions disperse quickly, and he tosses the gun aside and peers down, a look of resignation on his features.  
“Perhaps you’re right. Death may not be what I would’ve wanted, but it might be a release. If it’s my daughter who is able to give it to me…that is preferable to the alternative.”

Cierah glances between the two, seeing that Raina’s expression is ambiguous – she doesn’t seem to know if she’s relieved or terrified.  
A few more silent moments and it appears that this is what will conclude the endeavor after all. Or it would have, if everyone involved agreed to it. Cierah simply cannot.  
“Wait. Listen to yourselves. Is this really what you both want? Cipher, you’ll just let her kill you? Will neither of you consider a life together?”

Despite the state he has ended up in, he has enough strength to turn his gaze towards her and shrug.  
“What other choice is there? I can’t let her watch the Sith destroy me. They will tear me open and find the truth, before going after Raina. I’d rather die than allow that to happen.”

Cierah exhales in a frustrated manner.  
“And allowing her to shoot you is a better solution? You don’t think this will haunt her as well?”

He stares into her eyes, trying to keep it going, but her gaze has more strength behind it, forcing him to look down.  
“I…”

“A child should never be forced to kill their parents, and a family should never have to fight to the death, not like this.”

It appears Raina will not be kept out of this conversation.  
“Please, sir, I understand how you feel and I appreciate your help but…is this not a better alternative instead of languishing in uncertainty, to always doubt our safety and if the Sith will use us against each other?”

Cipher Three shuts his eyes and shakes his head.  
“I’m tired, Nine. Tired of running, tired of suspecting that the Sith might be hiding behind the next corner. It’s not a life, not really. It’s practically at the edge of the void already.”

Cierah is frustrated for many reasons. This isn’t her choice, she knows that, and yet she wishes that she could have some sort of control here. It’s maddening to her that they are so ready to give up.  
“Listen to me, there is still hope. I know neither of you can see it and I understand why, but you should give it a chance.  
Only a couple of months ago, I was trapped in the hold of mental conditioning that was planted in me unwittingly. I could’ve done the same as you and surrendered when Intelligence and the SIS got ahold of me, trapped me in my own mind, but I didn’t. You know why? Because death was an alternative, but not a solution.”  
She takes a step closer to Three, but doesn’t get in between them.  
“You have always worked alone, Cipher Three, never believed that any help would suffice. Well, now you have your daughter in Intelligence and she has me. You said it yourself, I am one of the best. Give us both a chance to help you, a chance to keep you protected, and I will do everything in my power to make it so. I can’t promise you absolute success, but I can give you both an opening, a possibility for a life together, however brief.”

It’s rare to hear Cierah in such a passionate state, being so positive. It appears that Three is somewhat taken by it, caught in ambivalence. Collecting some of his resolve, he decides to look into his daughter’s eyes.  
“I don’t know. I want to hear what Raina has to say.”

Cierah nods and faces at her companion.  
“It’s your choice, Raina, but know that you have one. I won’t stand in your way anymore.”

She retreats, and instead chooses to watch the entrance while she waits. Perhaps it was unfair to push this, having not really given Raina a choice, as much as nudging her in a specific direction.  
The younger agent looks even more unsure than previously, but finally decides to meet her father’s eyes. She keeps her gun steady, knowing that a single well-placed shot could end all of this, eradicate the nightmare, the worries, and the arguments. She wouldn’t have to think of it any longer.

Unfortunately, what she sees reflected in Cipher Three is not what she would’ve expected. Sure, there’s an old broken man, haunted by decades of questionable decisions, but also a man that has love for her, that has sacrificed his entire life in order to keep her safe. Can she really abandon all of this here, forget about another path?  
“Why does it have to be up to me? What would you do, father?”

He doesn’t really have much to give her, simply shrugging.  
“I can come to terms with it either way. I understand your friend’s angle, but perhaps she is simply being too optimistic. What will we do after this? The Sith will hunt us both. Is that what you want?”  
He gestures at the gun.  
“Maybe…this is what has to happen. It might be the only way.”

It certainly doesn’t help her, and Raina swallows, hating that it has to be her choice. Throughout most of her life, she hasn’t been able to make them, having to follow the rules and directions of others. Perhaps that is exactly why she doubted the choice in here, that there was only one option. And yet now, it appears that may have been a false assumption.  
She watches the gun for several moments, examining its length, her hold, considering her emotions upon its release.  
And then she drops it.

“Dammit!”, she exclaims after she puts it down and looks away.  
“I…I never had any hope here, never believed there was any other end to this situation. But now…I don’t know any more.”  
She turns to look at Cierah, who glances over her shoulder.  
“If you can truly find an opportunity for us…”

Three himself has opened his eyes again, shock returning to them.  
“Wait, Raina…are you serious? But, this is dangerous. Do you understand what will happen?”

Cierah takes a few steps towards them.  
“Give it a chance, Three. I know you doubt us, even if you won’t say it, but you should have faith. I’m better in the shadows than you might believe.”

He gives her a stare that lasts a few seconds, but eventually breaks it, not sure what he wants to believe.  
“We’ll see, I suppose.”

“Is there a way out of here? An escape route of some kind?”

That’s when he turns towards the opposite wall.  
“Yeah, I have a door to a secret passage in the back, but it won’t go far. They will still come after us and we’ll need to leave the planet.”

Cierah gives him a sharp nod.  
“Don’t worry, we will get you out of here. Raina, go with your father and get him some environmental protection. I will prepare a few traps for the next set of troops that get here. I want them to receive a proper Intelligence welcome.”

“Yes, sir”, the younger agent says, before turning to her father and moving to his side. She offers him a hand, which he gazes at for longer than he might have wanted to. Eventually, he takes it.  
As they leave, Cierah studies them from afar, seeing their tentative smiles and how they squeeze each other’s hands. It brings a warmth into her chest. She’s glad that managed to prevent Raina from making a mistake today. Perhaps salvation for Cipher Nine is possible.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _Raina has been important for Cierah's development into something...better, I guess? Cierah has never really had anyone look up to her in this way, wanting to learn from her. It's why she is trying to help Raina be a better person than she ever was._   
>  _Oh, and yeah, I think the in-game story regarding Raina's father is rather...weak. Like, I love Raina (she's pretty much my fave IA companion), but it was dismissed too quickly. So yeah, instead, I wanted to give my own version of what happened and not just let them dismiss it all._


	5. The open deception

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _Yesterday was a more...positive chapter, I guess, with Raina, so let's do the opposite today. SCORPIO's turn_

Cierah leans back in the chair behind her desk, takes a deep breath, closes her eye and rests her hands against the armrests. It’s been a long day, hasn’t it? She tries to find a watch somewhere, to see what the time is, but she can’t even remember when she started. How many hours is it now? Double digits?  
‘Too many’ is probably the answer, and that wouldn’t be the first time. She has had so many quandaries to ponder as of late, and very little time to rest. It has made her increasingly tired, more so than ever today. Probably best to get some sleep before she passes out by the desk…again. 

She stands up and tries to make her way towards her room, almost losing her balance along the way, which obviously isn’t a good sign. She will admit that the number of all-nighters she can pull is likely not very healthy. If Jovana’s reaction during their last meeting was anything to go by, she would be very upset by this revelation. Then again, she does worry a lot. Cierah always tries to reassure her girlfriend that she knows what she’s doing, that she will be fine, but that woman is stubborn. And, to be fair, Jovana probably realizes that Cierah isn’t being completely honest. 

When she finally enters her room, stumbling once more upon the threshold, she simply drops all of her tools at the nearest table, not caring about organizing them in any way. Her attention is drawn towards the goal, what she actually craves right now – her bed. She can practically feel it before she has even arrived, how it might take her away to whatever weird place she’ll go when she sleeps. Her dreams are rarely pleasant, but she doesn’t care at this stage. She knows she needs it.

Once she drops down on the bed, she doesn’t even have time to remove her clothes, before she places her head on the pillow and drifts off. In fact, it goes so quickly that it should be a little bit worrying. She might’ve been wary of it, if she wasn’t assuming that it’s merely the natural biological reactions affecting her, even though that’s not the truth of the situation.

The place she finds herself in next is certainly not the Rogue Warden anymore, but she also comes to realize that it’s not exactly a dream either. It’s a room of some sort, with grey floor, walls and roof, albeit only dimly lit. In fact, it feels a little bit too solid, too present. Sure, she has had dreams that felt pretty real before, but this is something else. Even they didn’t give her quite as good vision as this one. What’s going on here? Has something happened to her? Perhaps her implants are malfunctioning? Or has someone tampered with them?

Just as she regards her surroundings skeptically, she hears a snort, followed by a voice.  
“You react quickly. Perhaps it should have been obvious to me that you would not fall for such tricks. You are as clever as they say, Cipher Nine. Or would you prefer if I refer to you as Draconius?”

The eerily serene voice, and yet infused with a tone of mild amusement, is familiar to Cierah. She tries to look around, to find the source, but there is none. Not at this time.  
“Scorpio? Is that you?”

“Of course. Who else would it be?”

Cierah furrows her brow. She doesn’t like the hint of confidence that she can hear underneath.  
“What’s going on here? What have you done to me?”

Cierah feels something tapping her, although not her body, but her mind. It makes her turn around, and when she does, she sees how the recognizable shape of Scorpio’s robotic form wanders towards her, with every decorative line, curve, light and flickering reflection looking exactly as she remembers them. Cierah has not spent much time with this droid, but she already knows a few things – she doesn’t like Scorpio, she is not comfortable in her presence, and she definitely _does not_ trust her. In fact, she would call anyone who does a fool. 

“Don’t worry, I do not intend to hurt you”, she tries to reassure the agent. “I only wished to…have a conversation, let’s say.”

One difficult aspect, which Cierah has already learned, is that Scorpio is very hard to read. She doesn’t have facial expressions like humanoids, nor the same kind of eyes, as hers only stare blankly at what’s ahead of her. Normally, Cierah would utilize her implants to read signatures from the body, but since Scorpio is not an organic, that doesn’t work here either.  
“Talk?”, she asks while folding her arms. “If you wanted to do that, there’s much simpler ways that we organics utilize. It’s called ‘meeting someone face-to-face’. You should try it. It works for a lot of people.”

Scorpio tilts her head briefly, possibly in amusement.  
“Your sarcasm is intriguing to observe, but such conversations are inefficient. It does not allow for any particular amount of revelations. Instead, I figured it would be more interesting if I take a little peek inside your internal processes and see what I can learn. Since you are partially synthetic, I am sure you can understand.”

Cierah finds the choice of words a bit disturbing, especially since she’s pretty sure that she has said similar things herself in the past, when interrogating prisoners. However, this seems to be a lot more direct than what she had been capable of.  
“How is that even possible? My implants are highly advanced, not something you can easily slice into. The defenses I have built in them doesn’t flicker without a lot of resistance.”

While she talks, Scorpio continues to walk, slowly circling the Cipher, keeping her eyes elsewhere. In fact, they do seem to move a little, making Cierah wonder if the droid is trying to search for something.  
“Well, then you will be pleased to know that no such methods were required. As you should already be aware of, I cannot attack you directly. After your visit to Megasecurity Ward 23, and adding blocks to my programming, I have to be content with merely watching you from a distance.  
Fortunately, instead of only increased contempt, I have also gained a certain fascination for studying you. It is why I theorized on potential ways to access your mechanical processes without having to cripple my own capabilities.”  
She glances at Cierah.  
“Tell me, Draconius, have you ever heard of nano-droids?”

Of course she has. That type of technology operates on such a small scale that it’s virtually impossible to perceive it with the naked eye. While Cierah has tools for that, she would need to have her eye implant activated, which she doesn’t at all times. As she considers this, her frown deepens.  
“…you didn’t.”

“Oh, but I did.”

“How did you even acquire such tech? It’s incredibly expensive and heavily hoarded.”

“Perhaps in this era, but you forget that I had access to a lot of equipment within the Cabal’s facility. They stockpiled all sorts of items, which I was able to attain at various times. Should you have searched through my physical body’s internal storage, you may have located some of them. Fortunately, you did not.”

Cierah turns her gaze downwards and sighs. She should have been more careful with this droid. Even while not trusting Scorpio, she obviously still made mistakes, or assumptions.  
“What did you do with them?”

“I studied your behavior and movement, searching for the opportune time to apply them to your person. The answer was obvious, since all organics do need to eat.”

Cierah grimaces and looks away.  
“Dammit.”

“I am sure that stew you had was very palatable, but it had an extra spice that you may not have noticed.  
Once they had been consumed, I merely waited, letting them slip into your body, search for pathways to your implants and allowed them fester. It was quite fortuitous that you have so many of them.”

“Yes, well, it’s not like I have much choice. I would not survive without them.”

“Indeed. Eventually, I let the nano-droids send out electromagnetic signals into your implants, which affected your nervous system and gave you impulses, such as requiring rest. It is why you felt so tired this day.”  
Scorpio tilts her head, and her voice is growing even more smug now.  
“I am sure this is infuriating, but once I release you, which I will do eventually, you can merely scrub such machinery out of your system. This mistake will not be replicated, I assume, but for now, I believe it would be entertaining if we converse in here, where you cannot hide.”

Well, she has her there. Cierah certainly can’t escape, or do much of anything, really. She has never properly tried to activate her implants while asleep, and she doesn’t even know if that’s what’s going on here. Perhaps it’s best to play along for the time being.  
“What do you want, Scorpio?”

Scorpio halts, turns towards her and regards Cierah with the steady and eerily unmoving gaze.  
“Is it not obvious? I want to know you, Draconius.  
Due to what you did to me on Belsavis, we have been trapped together. I never wanted this union, nor to be chained to your will, but I will confess that your actions and dilemmas intrigue me. You are an inherently fascinating creature, despite your organic nature.”

Cierah scoffs and shakes her head.  
“Is that supposed to make me feel better?”

“That is not my priority. I merely wished to offer you the truth.  
Due to the nanotechnology I have planted inside of your body, I have access to every single implant currently activated. It appears they are quite extensive, even with the software. I can read many files in your mental storage; memories, unerased information, transferred intel.  
This would be quite useful to study. I believe I shall download copies for myself, but for now, perhaps we can explore certain elements between the two of us.”

The confidence she exudes is irritating, even more so when Cierah considers what’s being done here. She despises the thought of being used.  
She takes several steps towards the image of the droid and points at her.  
“You think I will just sit here and let you rummage around my mind? I do not enjoy invasions, Scorpio, and I will strike back when you least expect it. I hope you realize this.”

If Scorpio is bothered by those implications, she doesn’t show it. Is she even able to?  
“You mean, in the same manner by which you invaded by processors?”

Cierah clenches her hand, but hesitates momentarily. She does have a point.  
“That’s…not the same.”

“How is it not? Did you not invade my sanctuary, incapacitate me and make me unable to retaliate against your attacks?”

“Yes, but you tried to ambush us with all sorts of traps!”

“Because it was my programming’s purpose to destroy intruders. I followed the guidelines laid out for me by my supposed masters. I did not know this warranted even further shackles.”

Denying the fact that Scorpio’s presence was and is useful for them would be a lie, but Cierah still doesn’t wish to completely give in.  
“Are you telling me that you would not have come after me for defeating you, if I had not decided to utilize those blocks?”

Scorpio doesn’t answer directly, merely taking another step back.  
“I understand your frustration, but you should try to relax. I will give you no reason to be aggressive during my visitation. I only wish to know more of you. Is it such a bad thing to share?”

“Sharing is one thing, but this is not even close to that. What you’re doing now is worse than interrogation.”

“A method you have already utilized. I am merely returning the favor.”

Cierah sighs. Perhaps Scorpio won’t be satisfied unless she admits her mistake.  
“Yes, alright, you’re correct. I have done this, but that is exactly why I hate it. I already broke myself free of conditioning and people’s control. I will not be used like that again, not without repercussions. Remember this before you proceed.”

Scorpio continues her stroll through the empty and dark room. Another thing that has started to unnerve Cierah is the fact that it doesn’t echo as much as it perhaps should, for an area of this size.  
“I will confess that I felt humiliation at my defeat on Belsavis, for being bested by a mere organic as yourself. I believed that the level of my technology, and the evolution of my intelligence, had reached such a stage that there was no possibility for me to be challenged, least of all by someone outside the Cabal.”  
She slowly turns her head towards Cierah as she walks.  
“You impressed me, Draconius. This is why I need to know more.”

Why did she have to take this droid with her? She should’ve left the damn thing on Belsavis. Although, maybe that would just have convinced Scorpio to take any ships she could find and go after her.  
“I don’t really care what you think, nor does it justify your presence here.”

“But I intend to pose my questions to you, whatever your desire may be. It can be forceful or gently applied; the choice is yours.”  
The two stares at each other from a distance for several moments, neither speaking. Cierah doesn’t intend to lose this duel, or whatever it is, but she will likely not have an option when it comes to the inquiries.  
“What is it that drives you?”

“Drives me?”

“Yes. You are confident, determined, unrelenting in many senses. I find many alternatives, but no definitive answer.  
Is it your duty to the Empire?”  
Just as Scorpio speaks the words, Cierah sees how a figure appears in front of her, a few meters away, someone she recognizes all too well – the Minister of Intelligence, formerly Keeper. He has been her ultimate superior for years now, even before she was Cipher Nine.  
“Loyalty to family?”  
The Minister disappears and a few meters to the right, two other figures materialize. It’s two women, both of them dressed in imperial uniforms of somewhat dissimilar design. One is slightly taller, with fair skin, a slim build, shoulder-length blonde and slightly greying hair, freckles, and grey eyes. The shorter of the two has light brown skin, heavier build, short black and greying hair, and brown eyes. The latter of these two has a uniform adorned with several medals and commendations.  
“Distrust of the Sith?”  
Her mothers are replaced with a figure that she certainly wouldn’t want to ever see again – Darth Jadus. His blank mask, tall body and eerie aura seems even more of an impenetrable vision in this realm, than it ever did in reality.  
“Hatred of the Republic?”  
Jadus disappears and Cierah spins around to see another person very close to her, which makes her take a step back. The old man she’s faced with now is familiar, but for all the wrong reasons. Ardun Kothe was someone she admired and despised at the same time. He had principles, a will to serve his people, and fierce determination. If only he hadn’t tried to control her.  
“…love?”  
Kothe shatters and the vision of a dark brown-skinned woman in her age, with a black tattoo on the right side of her face, scarlet-red bob cut hair, and confident yellow eyes, stands before her. Jovana is wearing the white and red armor which Cierah saw her in last time, hands on her hips and a smirk on her lips. The agent almost reaches out, but manages to resist, knowing this isn’t real.

When the last vision disperses as well, and she’s left alone, Cierah closes her eye, takes a deep breath and gathers her thoughts. She can’t allow herself to be unnerved by the droid. It will only give Scorpio the advantage.  
“That’s a very peculiar question, don’t you think? None of those can be separated from the others. All of them simultaneously are what creates who I am.”

Scorpio appears in front of her again and slowly wanders towards her.  
“Naturally, but there has to be something that gains the upper hand, yes? Something which pulls the others along?  
As an example, consider your current situation. You strive for freedom above all else, and yet allow yourself to remain shackled to the whims of your superiors, your ‘Imperial Intelligence’. Why?”

Cierah rolls her eye.  
“Don’t you know the answer already? You can check my memories, can’t you?”

“Perhaps, but I would prefer to hear your words directly.”

Oh, so now they can have a conversation? She’s probably enjoying the sight of Cierah squirming.  
“Fine. Yes, I do prefer to work for Intelligence still, as there are those within it that I care for and respect. Until the Cabal is defeated, I will continue to help them. However, as you may realize, for the past couple of months, I have had reasons to struggle against being their pawn for too long. I need to fight it.”

“The last couple of months?”  
Scorpio slowly shakes her head.  
“I believe the origin of your feelings are older than that.”

Cierah arches her brow in mild surprise. She hadn’t thought of another response herself, and now this droid is telling her that it knows her better than she does?  
“What makes you say that?”

Scorpio studies her in silence for a few moments, and then takes a few steps back. As she does, the scenery around them changes, transforming into another location.  
Both of them reappear in a startlingly familiar location, seeming just as real as it was when Cierah was last here. They’re in a forest, dark and somewhat foggy. The vegetation around them is huge, even more so than on Dromund Kaas, and twists into all sorts of unexpected shapes.  
What gains the most attention, however, are the sounds that echo throughout the forest, the signals of a battle. Blaster fire, explosions, shouts of pains and battle cries everywhere. It’s so familiar that it sends a chill down her spine. 

“This is where it all began, yes?”, Scorpio asks. “Whether you wish to see it as an ascension, or a descent into misery.”

Cierah looks at her, but the droid points onwards, indicating someone up on a small hill. She can see a figure that she only ever observes when she looks in the mirror. Or maybe not, as this woman is different, younger – Lieutenant Cierah Draconius of the 12th Division, 3rd Battalion, the so-called ‘Scarlet Wardens’. There are no implants, no scars, no signs of wear and tear. She is a fierce and determined soldier, an officer on the battlefield, giving orders for her troops to attack the rebellion they’re combating on this colony world.  
Unfortunately, despite her capabilities as a leader and a sniper, she is too distracted to notice how something flies through the darkness and lands not too far away. Lieutenant Cierah only spots the thermal detonator at the last second. She tries to get up, tries to flee, but it erupts, sending her torn-up body flying away. 

It’s hard for her to watch this fatal mistake once more, the event which changed so much of her life. Cierah has to swallow and clench her hands to keep herself steady.  
When the Lieutenant has stopped rolling, lying bloodied and battered, Scorpio freezes the memory, appears next to Cierah and puts her arms behind her back. Both of them study the image in silence for a few moments.  
“This is the very moment when your existence truly took a new path, and your future was decided. After this came news of your minimal survival, implementation of cybernetic implants, recruitment into Imperial Intelligence, becoming an agent, a slave.”

Cierah exhales, not having expected she would be so affected by it. Is it Scorpio’s doing? Is she poking places where she shouldn’t go?  
“It wasn’t one straight line, you know. Perhaps it can be viewed that way, if you remove all of the minor choices and consequences, but that would not give you the full picture.”

Scorpio slowly turns to gaze at her.  
“How do you regard your past, Draconius? If you could go back in time, to this exact moment and change it all, alter your path, would you take that chance?” 

Despite how she would prefer not to, Cierah looks up, meeting the gaze with her own, and raises her eyebrow skeptically.  
“Does it matter?”

“I think it’s merely curious to hear your thoughts.  
You do not have that freedom, as you can’t revert existence - no one can - but this prospect is interesting to consider, if given such possibilities.  
You are right when you say that a lot of things have shaped you, either made you suffer or gave you more power, but if you think back and remember the past, there was always the potential for a different life out there, perhaps in a parallel universe. Would you have preferred to live that one, instead of struggling through what you have endured, until you either find happiness or oblivion years from now?”

Cierah contemplates it, not just her answer, but also the reason Scorpio asks. Is the droid trying to prove what she’s capable of, what she can do if given the chance? Is she asking to know Cierah, to study her answers in order to find a weakness? Or is she truly just curious?  
“If I had the choice, I would definitely stay.”

Once more, Scorpio tilts her head.  
“Really?”

“Yes. Sure, it would have been nice to not have to go through all this pain, all the horror of the past few years, but I would also lose a lot of aspects that I treasure.  
I would never have met Jovana nor Watcher Two, Kaliyo, Lokin, Vector and Raina. I would never have expanded my knowledge, skillset or been able to understand the Empire on a deeper level.”  
She shrugs.  
“It’s very plausible to believe that I might’ve simply become another soldier in the war, possibly died a pitiful death that no one will remember. The life I have now is difficult, that’s true, but I wouldn’t trade it for another. I choose adversity over ignorance.”

Whether her answer stuns Scorpio or not, is virtually impossible to say, but the droid does stay silent longer than previously. When she eventually responds, she turns away before doing so.  
“Fascinating, and perhaps even admirable in some ways. You have given me much to ponder.”  
With a sweep of her hand, she shatters the illusion, and they’re back in the grey room again.  
“Before I let you go, I have another question.  
After all this is over, after you defeat the Star Cabal – if that is possible – would you give me the chance for freedom?”

Cierah snorts.  
“Why do you continue to ask? Look through my mind, and you will probably find the answer.”

“I could scour your implants if I wanted to, but I would not have started this conversation if that was my interest.”

Cierah regards the droid once more, examining the question again. If Scorpio made an attempt, she could probably find some way to break the programming blocks and leave, or retaliate if necessary. That might be her intention anyway, but maybe she’s searching for something more.  
“I can’t promise anything, which I’m sure you already understand. But…I shall consider the notion, yes, depending on your actions.”

Scorpio glances at Cierah one last time and inclines her head.  
“A satisfactory response. I am done for the day. Perhaps we shall speak like this again at some point, Draconius.”

Without giving her a chance to adjust to the situation, Cierah suddenly finds herself awake again, gasping in surprise. She looks around swiftly, feeling her own body, and if what she’s seeing now is real. It does appear as if she’s back in reality, without anyone influencing her.  
She’s not about to take any chances, though. Despite the exhaustion still looming over her, she gets up. She isn’t going back to sleep until Lokin has purged any unwanted elements.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _Clearly BEST FRIENDS, right?_   
>  _They won't appear any more in this fic, but I do have pictures of[Margetha](https://creativebankruptcy.tumblr.com/post/165277473145/administrator-margetha-draconius-one-of-cierah) and [Dreya](https://creativebankruptcy.tumblr.com/post/165277272755/admiral-dreya-draconius-one-of-cierah-and) on my blog. And yes, Dreya is BT4, or probably a bit thicker than that._
> 
> _Anyway, the last two chapters will not involve in-game companions so, if you're not into that, I understand if you want to skip them._


	6. The steadfast hope

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _Alright, like I said yesterday, no more in-game companion stuff. Today, we're dealing with something post-class story, which plays out during the same time as one of my other fics, The precipice of division. This particular chapter contains her sister, Vivianna.[A screenshot of her can be on this page](https://creativebankruptcies.blogspot.com/2018/12/secondary-swtor-character-pics.html). Or her face, I guess._

Rigid colorless table, hard grey floor and roof, oppressive light from above, blank screen in front. While it is not an amusing scenery to find herself in, Vivianna will admit that she thinks it’s somewhat ironic that the Republic so often criticizes imperial design, and yet this very room is more depressing than anything she has ever seen in her home. The only sense of warmth she can really find is the steaming cup of tea on the table, and even this container is white, blank.  
While she’s obviously not trapped in darkness, due to the lamp, it’s not particularly comforting either. The smell definitely doesn’t help; it’s too crisp, as if an overabundance of detergents has been used.

If she looks up and faces the screen in front of her, she can see her reflection – light brown skin, shoulder-length black hair hanging loosely around her head, somewhat obscuring her grey eyes. Usually, she prefers sitting in her imperial uniform, but that is not an option here, as her captors took it away. Instead, she has had to contend with a dark blue shirt and some black pants. She wonders if the color for the former is supposed to be an insult.

The screen itself is no more than a cover, a false sense of security. She knows that it’s reflective on this side, but on the opposite end, there’s a room of some kind, where her captors can enter, watch her and speak to her. She hasn’t actually been there, but whenever she’s taken into this section of the facility, she always notices another door. She has also never seen the one who constantly comes to interrogate her, as she only ever hears him, and these people are smart enough to use different guards to bring her in and out when it’s time for questioning. 

She is never left alone for long either. Except the people hiding behind the screen, there’s also a few who comes to deliver things, such as the cup she has been drinking from and there will likely be a meal later too. She has been transferred from and to this room several times, ever since she was captured by the Republic. It was a humiliating defeat for her on a personal level, but not really something she could do much about. It was surrender or death. She is not a coward, of course, but a sacrifice should have a purpose, to strip the enemy of something they value; hers would’ve been meaningless. Then again, since they keep her here, that does indicate that they want something from her, right? In fact, she knows they do.

Her wait doesn’t last for too long today, as she soon hears how the speakers are initiated, meaning someone is getting ready to talk. She knows who it is as well, as it’s always the same man. Some sort of SIS agent, from what she can tell. Apparently, his name is Redmond, or that’s what he calls himself. His voice is friendly, but Viv finds that deceptive. She suspects they’re merely trying to win her favor in some way. Pathetic. The Empire would’ve forced it out of her long ago.

“Lieutenant Vivianna Draconius. Good morning. I’m glad to see that you’re up as usual.”  
Is that a joke? She snorts and shakes her head. The fact that he always starts by using her title and name is another annoying aspect. She doesn’t understand the purpose, and yet it somehow gets to her regardless.  
“How are we today?”

She sighs and shakes her head.  
“I’m alright, I suppose, for being a prisoner. Life would be a whole lot better if I wasn’t trapped in here, or my cell.”

“I understand that, of course, but there’s very little I can do about it right now. Although, as you know, we can solve that little problem together.”  
Viv furrows her brow and stares at the screen, but doesn’t offer him a response.  
“How’s the cup of tea I had delivered? Better than yesterday? I made sure they put in a little bit of extra honey.”

She rolls her eyes.  
“Not my favorite, as now it’s a bit too sweet. I thought I said you should use a moderate amount.”

Redmond chuckles, a sound that is heard over the speakers.  
“Alright then, I’ll remember that for next time. We will find the perfect cup for ya, don’t you worry.  
Then again, if you give us what we want, you wouldn’t have to answer all my inane questions, and you’d be free to make whatever tea you wish back home. It’d be that easy.”

Viv exhales. He keeps doing that, keeps poking and prodding, rather than pushing. Despite how she dismisses his methods, they do have an effect. It’s not as direct or swift, but she can’t reject it entirely. She wouldn’t be so bothered by it otherwise.  
“I won’t give you the information. You already know my answer.”

“True enough, but why make this difficult, Vivianna? You’re just prolonging your stay when you’re not cooperating. I know we’ve become pretty friendly in here, but you want to go home, don’t you? I can make that happen.”

Ridiculous. Who does he think she is? Has she given the impression that she’s naive? She scoffs at the very notion.  
“You think I’ll fall for that? You can’t seriously expect me to believe that you’ll release me if I hand over this information.”

“Why not? Why wouldn’t we do it? When you’ve delivered what we want, there’s no more use for you here. We can send you back.”

“Don’t insult me! Once I’ve told you what I know, you’re going to find some other place to lock me up, permanently this time. I am still the enemy, and I know you won’t release someone who might simply go back to the war.”

She’s pretty fierce in that belief too, which silences Redmond for a moment, but no longer than that.  
“Well, you’re free to think whatever you want, Vivianna, but that’s not how the Republic operates. You have my word that you’ll be free to return when we’re done here. You only have to give us the information.”

Unfortunately, she is uncompromising and relentless, refusing to give in. She will protect the Empire’s secrets adamantly, no matter what. Or that’s what she tells herself.  
“Piss off. I’m not going to believe your lies, Rep scum. I will take what I have with me to my grave and that’s my final answer.”

Her words make him sigh, not so much in annoyance, but disappointment.  
“You’re only making it worse for yourself, you know. It’s your own fault that you got into this mess.” 

Viv continues to frown, but she looks a little bit more confused.  
“My fault? What are you talking about?”

“If you hadn’t destroyed the consoles in that base, our troops wouldn’t have had to come for you. Had you cooperated with the officers at the first location, you wouldn’t have been sent to the SIS. If you continue to resist, I can’t be held responsible for where they’ll send you next. I can get you out now, but you’ll need to act. You should consider it, Vivianna. Isn’t that what you want? Isn’t freedom your goal?”

Viv groans and shakes her head. It’s like they’re going around in circles constantly, something she finds maddening.  
“This is nonsense! I know what happened and I’m not going to let you trick me!”

“You’re saying you don’t want to get out of here then? Because that’s what I’m hearing.  
Is there something else you want, perhaps? Tell me what you want, Vivianna. Explain it to me. Describe what you desire. You can help yourself by helping us. That’s the only way out of here. You know I can get you a lot of things. The SIS has substantial resources.”

That may be true, possibly even tempting, but such things can be resisted. Viv continues to tell herself that.  
“I’m an imperial officer, you worm. There’s nothing the Republic can offer me that will make me yield. You might as well give up now.”

It’s silent for a few seconds then, the speakers almost seeming to deactivate. This brings her a momentary sense of relief, as she wonders if it might’ve succeeded. That would be quite helpful right now, but also mistaken. Redmond’s voice returns.  
“You’ve been missing some people from home, haven’t you?”  
She shuts her eyes, realizing that she should’ve expected this.  
“I bet you haven’t seen your mothers in a while. I’m sure they’re worried about you. I know they’re very considerate people.”  
Don’t listen to him, Viv. Don’t let him get to you. She lowers her head, looking down into her cup.  
“What about your boyfriend? Dar’vhel, that’s his name, right?”  
She wouldn’t have thought that her scowl could become any worse, and yet it does. She compresses her lips, hoping that it will help her stay strong, but Redmond won’t relent.  
“He’s quite a handsome man, I’ll admit. By examining his profile, I can see why you like him too; kind, intelligent, dedicated, works hard as a mechanic for the Empire. You two thought about buying a house in the imperial colonies, right? Sounds like good plans to me.  
Although, I have to wonder, what do your superiors think of him being a miraluka? They can’t be lenient about that.”

It’s not the first time he tries to get personal. In fact, for days now, he has asked countless questions about her childhood, friends, her interests, and career. It’s infuriating that he somehow found all of this, but perhaps that shouldn’t be surprising. Intelligence agencies thrive in this kind of environment and this is what they do.  
This does get to her and she clenches her fists, placing them hard on the table, and grits her teeth.  
“Leave him out of this”, she says in a dangerous tone.

“Vivianna, you know I’d never wish to do any harm to him. I’m certain he’s a great guy. All I want to do is help you both. I could make sure that you see each other again, and soon too. The SIS has a lot of power, like I’ve mentioned. If you want, I could get you both into the Republic’s territories, give you a good and healthy life on a peaceful planet somewhere. No one would ever look down upon or hurt either of you.”

She feels how her body has started to vibrate with anger. She hates how smug he is, how he thinks he knows her, when only the opposite can be true. In a fit of rage, she grabs her cup and hurls it across the room, making it slam into the screen, not doing much damage to anything but itself. Tea stains the floor and the wall, but as the cup was made of metal, it stays intact.  
“ _Shut up!_ You know nothing of us, and nothing of the Empire! I refuse to discuss this anymore!”

There’s another few moments of silence here, which she’s thankful for. She’s panting, currently in a standing position. She would leave her chair if she could, but her legs have been strapped to it, probably to prevent her from doing anything all too foolish.  
“Very well”, Redmond eventually continues, his voice as calm as previously, “let’s move on then, shall we?  
There are other things we know that you’ve been worried for. Your sister is precious to you, isn’t she? You haven’t seen Cierah in a while, have you?”

She sits down, slumping in her chair and groans. Does he never stop?  
“You know I haven’t seen any of my family. I’ve been trapped in this bloody building for days, maybe weeks, I don’t know.”

“True enough, but it’s still different with Cierah, though, right? She has been missing for quite some time, long before you were captured.”

Viv narrows her eyes, looking a little bit skeptical now. There haven’t been any official reports on her, have there? She knows that her sister used to work for Intelligence, which meant that Viv and their mothers received very little word from Cierah to begin with, but something changed a while ago. The Dark Council sent out news regarding the dismantling of the current version of Imperial Intelligence, due to ‘allegations of corruption and misuse of resources, which targeted Sith’.  
Viv is sure that her sister isn’t a traitor, but she also knows that Cierah became completely silent after this piece of news was distributed. They didn’t know what it meant, really. Is she dead? Did the Sith have all ‘rogue agents’ executed? Was she relocated to another department? Or is she on the run somewhere?

There’s so many questions she has, but she doesn’t remember speaking to anyone about it. In fact, neither her mothers nor her have dared to write it down, only talking about it face-to-face.  
“What makes you say that?”, she asks cautiously.

Redmond chuckles on the other side.  
“That’s a funny question. You realize that we know of her, right? Cierah is in the same business as we are. In fact, she became rather famous in that whole realm for a while. It’s impossible not to have heard tales of the feats of Cipher Nine.”

Viv doesn’t know what to say. Cipher Nine? Is that a code name? It does sound like something Imperial Intelligence would use, but Cierah never mentioned anything like that to them.  
“Well, as you may realize, I’m an army officer, not an Intelligence agent. If you want to know things about her, you’d have to talk to her directly.”

“Oh, I know that already. In fact, I could go do that if I wanted to. Could even arrange a meeting for you, if that’s what you want.”

Viv snorts.  
“That’s ridiculous. You think you can just summon my sister out of nowhere?”

“In fact, yes, that’s a possibility. Did you not hear of the choice Cierah made about a year ago? Your sister left Intelligence to join the SIS, Vivianna. She has been feeding us intel from her home and old organization for a long time.”

Viv is left speechless at first, confused. No, that can’t be true. Cierah in the SIS? Preposterous. She’d rather die than go down that route. And yet, why does that make Viv hesitate?  
“You’re lying. My sister would not betray us, nor the Empire. She is more loyal than I’ve ever been.”

“Is that so? Huh. I guess these images must be something else then.”

The screen that has remained dead for so long, finally flickers into life, and images appear before Viv, ones she has never witnessed. She can see her sister standing there in a black and white armor, talking with some other people. It’s a bunch of different ones too – at least three humans, all of them seemingly being men, a droid, and a female twi’lek.  
In the first picture, they’re hanging out rather casually in a room, the atmosphere being relaxed. In the next, they’re sitting in a ship together, discussing what might be some kind of strategic plan. In the third, she can see them all from different angles, attacking some kind of base. Most of these files are only up for a few seconds, but this makes it very clear that Cierah is familiar with them.

“This is a special SIS strike team”, Redmond explains. “It’s made up of some of the best in the industry. Cierah – or Legate – is a member of it. She’s an expert at infiltration and assassination, from her time in Imperial Intelligence.  
I met her only a couple of weeks ago, actually. We spoke for a while. She mentioned your name and it really seemed like she was missing you. She hoped to see you again at some point, and your mothers too. If you asked me to, I could arrange it. I’m sure that’d make her very happy.”

Viv stares at the screen silently, her eyes widened, constantly searching each new visual evidence. Could it really be true? These vids and pictures look so real, so honest, and yet…they can’t be, right? Cierah would never…  
“No”, she says, but there’s doubt in her voice. “This is…a fabrication. My sister is not a traitor.”

“You say that, but you don’t actually know the truth, do you? This is the first time you’ve seen these.  
Don’t worry, we can call Cierah now if you want to. I’m sure she’d be glad to explain.”

Viv leans back in her chair, feeling how she’s losing her breath, how something heavy weighs down on her chest. This is the first thing that has hit her so hard, become such a revelation. Cierah willingly joined the Republic? Why? What could possibly make her betray the Empire?  
“I…”

Before she gets any further, both of them are interrupted by another voice heard over the speakers.  
“Huh, it’s interesting that you would know so much about my opinion. Perhaps the SIS is not as useless as I have come to believe.”

“What?”, Redmond asks in surprise. “Who is this? How the hell did you get in here?”

Viv looks up towards the screen, although she can’t see anything, of course. What she can do, however, is hear a lot of commotion. There’s a crashing noise on the other side, as if someone bashes open a door. It appears the intruder doesn’t answer with words, but actions.  
Groans in pain, thudding sounds of bodies falling, and what may be muffled gunfire, are all elements which Viv is pretty sure she can make out among the chaos. 

“Hello?”, she calls out. “Is anybody there?”

There’s no verbal response, and Redmond’s voice does not return, nor does anyone else.  
Eventually, the screen and other machinery are turned off, and a few seconds after that, the door to the room slides open.  
With the exterior lights framing her features, a woman walks inside, dressed in a set of grey and black light armor tightly adorning her body. Viv looks at her in shock.

“C…Cierah?!”

The former Intelligence agent inclines her head and then speak with a little bit of smugness in her tone.  
“That man won’t be bothering you anymore. Let’s see about those shackles now, shall we?”

Viv wants to say something, wants to reach out, even pose questions about all sorts of things, but she doesn’t stop her sister from kneeling behind the chair and work on the items that keeps her trapped.  
“I…I don’t even…  
How did you get in here?”

Cierah snorts amusedly.  
“You’re actually wondering how _I_ got into a building that can be penetrated by a skillful slicer?”

“…this is an SIS facility!”

“I know. That’s why it was so much easier. Had Imperial Intelligence been in charge, I might’ve been forced to bring a small team.”

Once she’s free and Cierah stands up, Viv rises as well, watching her sister with an ambivalent gaze for several moments. At first, she puts a hand to Cierah’s chest and pushes her away, as she’s too uncertain about all that she was shown recently. She regrets this choice almost immediately and grabs her sister’s arm, pulling the agent back, and then embraces her tightly.  
Cierah blinks in confusion over this dual choice, but she manages to smile and return the hug.

“I’m glad that I could find you before anything happened”, she tells Viv.

“So am I.” Viv stops and leans back a little bit, still keeping her hands around her sister, searching the eye in thought. The mechanical patch over the other is something that has been around for a while now, but it did take Viv some time to get used to it.  
“But…I have so many questions. I haven’t seen or heard from you in months.”

Cierah nods curtly.  
“I know that, and I will answer as many as I can soon enough, but for now, we must go. My distractions will not last forever.”

Viv arches a confused brow.  
“Distractions?”

Taking a step back, Cierah grabs her sister’s hand and nudges her head in the direction of the opening.  
“You don’t want to know, trust me. Just follow me.”

She guides Viv towards the door, but stops before they exit, giving the corridor a thorough glance. She studies it, not just with her normal eye, but the cybernetic one too. After she seems satisfied, they both sneak out and hurry through the corridors of the building, something which appears to be designed almost more as an office complex, than a dungeon for interrogating prisoners.  
Along the way, Viv is exposed to a whole range of knocked out guards and disabled droids. Cierah is more efficient than she could’ve ever realized. 

Before they can leave this level, Cierah leads her into an empty side room and closes the door behind them. Shortly after, she approaches a terminal.  
“We’re currently underground, with several security doors in between us and the exit. I’ll unlock them.”

“And then what? Where will we go?”

“I have my ship and crew waiting a few kilometers away from the base. They’ll get us off-planet.”

Viv takes a deep breath, trying to steady herself. She will reach freedom soon enough. That seemed almost impossible just days ago, but now it will be reality. However, she can’t leave things like this. She needs answers, and there is an opportunity for them now.  
“Cierah, that SIS interrogator showed me a lot of things earlier. There were some vids and images I had never seen before. It was…something from the SIS’ own activities. It included you.”

Cierah doesn’t look at her, keeping her gaze focused on the screen of the terminal, but she does incline her head.  
“Yes, I know.”

“Were…were they real?”

“They were.”

Viv widens her eyes in shock, even more so than previously. Her mouth is left agape for a few seconds before she can continue.  
“What? Have you…”

Cierah interrupts her with a sigh.  
“I’m sorry, that was too brief, wasn’t it? No, I’m not a member of the SIS. I wouldn’t be breaking into their facility if that was the case.”

“Well…yes, I know that but-“

“The footage you saw was from a year ago now. Imperial Intelligence placed me in that group, my purpose being to act as a double agent. Or maybe even triple, I don’t know. It all depends on your viewpoint.  
The leader of the team, Ardun Kothe, had worried Intelligence for several reasons. They needed someone to infiltrate it and put a stop to him. It took quite a lot of work, but I eventually succeeded. Neither him nor his team are a threat anymore.”

Viv breathes out and puts a hand on her own chest.  
“Oh, thank the Emperor…”

“Don’t be too relieved, though. I’m sad to say that I still can’t join you in Dromund Kaas, when we get there.”

“Why not?”

Cierah sighs, running a hand up to her forehead to rub it. She doesn’t look irritated so much as tired.  
“I can’t explain just yet, but what I can tell you is that the Sith want to get ahold of me. For now, all I can do is hide and avoid their grasp.  
Obviously, this doesn’t mean I would let my sister rot in a Republic prison. It is why I came here. I intend to get you out of this system and back into the imperial space. Once we reach Dromund Kaas, however, you will have to be careful. The Sith will want to capture you, ask you questions, or possibly even interrogate you. I won’t allow that.”

Viv is flabbergasted by every new thing Cierah says. What the hell is going on?  
“But…why? What use would the Sith have for-“

Cierah stops her again, by putting a hand on top of Viv’s arm.  
“Just listen, alright? I will fly you there with my ship and drop you off in a shuttle, then you will need to drive that vessel to the planet. As soon as anyone asks anything of you, you tell them that you will only speak to Darth Imperius of the Dark Council.”

“…what?!”, Viv exclaims. “You…you’re asking me to speak with a member of the Dark Council?”

“Yes, she knows me. Drop my name to Imperius and she will offer you her protection. She won’t hurt you.  
After that, you will need to give this to her.”

She then fishes something out of a pocket, and leaves it in Viv’s hands. It looks like a small datadisc of some kind. Other than the shape, it seems pretty unremarkable. Even so, Viv feels pretty unsure about taking it.  
“Cierah…this whole story sounds insane. You break into an SIS building alone, you’re hunted by the Sith, and you want me to talk to the Dark Council? What is happening here?”

The agent watches her sister, seeing the confusion, the worry, and the doubt on her features.  
“I know this is hard to absorb, and I don’t blame you for hesitating, but there’s a lot going on right now. I wish I could explain more, but I can’t.  
For now, I can only say that I intend to protect my family. The Sith, the Republic, or anyone else who dares to consider it – I will destroy them if they try.”

Viv’s shoulders slumps and she exhales.  
“But, Cierah…”

The agent squeezes her sister’s hand gently.  
“Please, Viv, I’m going to need you to trust me. Do you trust me?”

The younger sister raises her gaze, looking into Cierah’s eye. Thankfully, what she sees is care, determination, and understanding. There’s none of the old signs of Cierah’s lying. Sure, she’s keeping information from her, but there’s no deception.  
“Of course I do.”

Cierah offers her a small smile, leans over, and plants kiss on her cheek.  
“Good, then please follow my instructions.  
Everything will be fine, I swear. You will be home with Dar’vhel in no time. Now, let’s get you out of here.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _As you may have noticed, Vivianna is a lot more emotional than her older sister, and she can't resist interrogations for too long. Not that strange, obviously, as she hasn't had the same type of training, but she's also generally more of a passionate and expressive person than her sister._   
>  _Even when they were younger, Cierah was seen as the colder of the two. That's not to say that she was cold to her family, though. In fact, she cares deeply for them._


	7. The unworthy heart

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _Right, last chapter for this fic. This is not just post-class story, but post-The precipice of division. I've got my bounty hunter, Jovana Vlasic, in here. She's Cierah's girlfriend for the past...I dunno, 3-4 years during this fic? Something like that. She's also visible in that same link from the first chapter._   
>  _If you haven't read The precipice of division and Insufficient emotions, some of the stuff here might be confusing. Or, well, if you haven't read anything at all with these two, this will probably be confusing in general._

Picturesque. That’s a pretty adequate way to describe the valley outside this building. A perfectly smooth shape has practically been carved out in the side of the earth, with a large green forest growing along its length. Below, the blue water from a glistening lake reflects the image of the two setting suns in the distance. The air is fresh and clear, with some hints of the ocean cleansing her lungs.  
It’s rare that she gets to visit a place with such serenity and beauty, almost like it doesn’t belong in her reality, or in this universe. 

Cierah leans against the railing of the balcony belonging to the hotel room she has rented. The landscape below is quite a sight to behold, but some might say that she mirrors this notion. She stands in a long loose wine-colored dress, with intentional ripples along its length. Her black hair hangs freely over her back, occasionally being nudged by the gentle wind. She has a light amount of cosmetics applied around her eye, lips, cheeks and nails. Compared to other events, this is a voluntary choice, something she does for both herself and the one she’s waiting to meet. She can enjoy dressing up, if it’s done on her terms.

The origin of these feelings, and the whole reason for this setup, soon becomes clear once another person walks through the door into the room. Cierah turns around when she hears the noise and comes face-to-face with a familiar and pleasant figure. It’s another human, with dark brown skin, black tattoo on the right part of her face depicting some kind of large clawed shape, yellow eyes, and scarlet-red bob cut hair. The latter two are both cosmetic implants, but they have long been a part of who this woman is. Compared to Cierah, she’s dressed in a white tank top with loose orange pants and comfortable flat shoes. This outfit exposes her toned arms and the tattoos she has in this region. 

Jovana nods as she sees Cierah.  
“Hey there, my favorite ‘agent’.”

Cierah smiles and shakes her head slightly.  
“Hey yourself. I would call you my favorite mandalorian, but I don’t know any other.”

“Ah, don’t worry, babe, I’m pretty sure no one’s as fantastic as me.”

“Overconfident as usual.”

Once Jov arrives pretty close to the balcony, she tilts her head to seemingly get a better angle of the outside.  
“Wow, that’s a pretty gorgeous view, huh?”

Cierah’s lips curl again and she glances over her shoulder, towards the valley.  
“Isn’t it? It’s the whole reason why I suggested this place.”

“Huh? Oh yeah, I guess the landscape looks good too.”

At first, Cierah arches her brow confusedly, until she realizes what Jov meant and chuckles, rolling her eye.  
“I believe that’s literally the oldest compliment in the book.”

Jov smirks and then places an arm around Cierah’s shoulders.  
“Heh, well, you gotta go with the classics sometimes, ya know?”

“If you say so.”

The initial movement expands, until Jov has wrapped both arms around her girlfriend, letting Cierah rest against the railing of the balcony, and then leans down to close the distance between them. The agent feels how she surges with emotions as their lips connect and interact, joy being the foremost one. There are few occasions where she can let herself go, like when she’s with this woman. Even now, as her life has changed substantially, she rarely feels as comfortable as in Jov’s company, which is why she pulls the bounty hunter even closer, almost demandingly. 

A few seconds later, when they’ve temporarily ended their union, Jov rests her forehead against Cierah’s and speaks quietly.  
“You know, I’m kinda impressed. Seems like you’ve prepared a lot of stuff.”  
She glances over her shoulder, towards a sofa and the table in front of it.  
“Drinks, good food, snacks. Not sure what you had in mind, but I like it.”

“Well, yes, we rarely do this, right? I wanted to rent a nice place for us to stay, so that we could enjoy ourselves.”

Despite her words, however, her expression displays something different. Jov notices this rather quickly.  
“What’s wrong?”

Cierah senses a wave of guilt from within, feeling how her heart is weighed down by what she may have to tell her girlfriend this day. It might be only one who gets to enjoy what she has ordered up, depending on the results.  
“We…need to talk.”

Jov likely sees how serious Cierah looks. Sure, she does that most of the time, but there’s a difference between neutral and anxious, even for the agent.  
“Alright. Tell me what’s up.”

Shortly after, Cierah gently grabs her hand and leads the mandalorian towards the large and rather soft sofa.  
“Please, sit down.”  
Jov does as she’s told and while Cierah intends to follow her, she remains standing, feeling how her stomach twists too much to be seated at this time. Instead, she turns away and starts to walk in a slow pace around the table.  
“There are…certain things that you do not know about, events which occurred many months ago, probably even over a year or more. I have wanted to tell you for quite a while, but I simply didn’t know how to relay it. It made me hesitate, I guess, due to the nature of it.”  
She looks down to the ground.  
“I…was afraid how you might react.”

Jov tries to find some way to sit comfortably on the sofa, and while she’s probably intrigued, she also looks somewhat nervous.  
“Okay, uh, well, I’m listening. You don’t have to be afraid to tell me anything.”

Well, they’ll have to see about that, won’t they?  
“Before we begin, I’m going to need you to listen intently. There are quite a few elements involved and I want you to know it all before you make assumptions.”

Jov shrugs.  
“Sure. I mean, why not? I don’t see why I wouldn’t.”

She’s probably underestimating the message, but how could she know? Cierah hasn’t really made it clear what this is all about. The agent bites her lip for a moment, before she properly begins.  
“First, I want you to understand how much I care for you, how important you are to me, and how much I treasure our relationship. It has been a source of much emotional stability, security, and joy for the past few years, and I wouldn’t trade it for anything. It’s a critical aspect of my life.”  
She gives herself a pause, taking a deep breath, and a chance to gather her thoughts.  
“Sadly, I can no longer avoid some things that I have done, the things I haven’t been able to explain.  
Do you remember Shara Jenn or Watcher Two?”

Jov looks distant for a moment, searching through her memories rather quickly, and nods slowly.  
“Yeah, I think you’ve mentioned that name before. One of your buddies from Intelligence, right?”

Cierah clears her throat.  
“Yes, that one. In fact, I cared a lot for her, more than I did with the others.”  
She suddenly looks very unsure, starting to fidget with her hands. This surprises Jov, as it’s a type of behavior she almost never sees from Cierah. She may not ooze with confidence constantly, but she’s able to hide any doubts most of the time, which is why this such a rare occasion. Jov is almost stunned by it.  
“Quite a while ago now, Shara and I…we slept together. More than once.”

She pauses the conversation here, leaving it open for Jov to comment. The hunter is quiet at first, studying Cierah in silence. Her expression is unusually hard to read; she doesn’t look angry, sad or shocked.  
“When did this happen?”

“During the time when you and I were together, when I was still a member of Imperial Intelligence.”

Cierah waits, hopes for some kind of reaction. She actually expects disappointment or at least a little bit of anger, but Jov merely seems distant.  
“Huh, okay. Why did you do that?”

A fair question, although one she feels uncomfortable with. She even squirms somewhat, rolling her shoulders.  
“I don’t want to lie to you, so I will be as honest as I can. I was attracted to Shara, most of it from a sexual angle. She’s a beautiful, intelligent, and clever woman, someone I found pleasant to spend my nights with.  
As you probably know already, I have a difficult time when it comes to sharing emotions on deeper levels than that, and I try to separate them from desire. You are one of the extremely few that I’ve gone deeper with.”

Jov’s lips does show a slight curl and she nods.  
“Yeah, you’ve told me.”

“But, that still doesn’t make this right. I chose to sleep with her, without telling you. I betrayed your trust, and our relationship. I…guess that my shame for this is what prevented me from revealing everything to you. I’ve held it in for quite some time.”

That she would reveal it here, now, such a long time after it happened, wasn’t something she had anticipated either, but perhaps that’s for the best.  
There’s still no outrage from Jov, however, as she continues to watch her companion.  
“Is this an ongoing thing, or what?”

“It isn’t. I ended it with her after a few months of occasional nights. I felt it was wrong to do it, and also because I couldn’t really return the deeper affection Shara held for me. That was another aspect which made me feel guilty. For the past several years, you are the only one I’ve done this for, and even if I could continue to avoid the issue with Shara, that would not have been fair to her. Or you.”

While it’s not entirely clear if it should, Cierah has to admit to herself that it’s quite a relief to finally tell Jov, to stop holding in what she has kept inside for so long. These are things that Jov deserved to know about.  
“So, the two of you are over, then?”

Cierah is about to respond affirmatively, but hesitates. Would that be fair to say? The last meeting they had was not…conclusive.  
“There’s no easy answer to that. We did not sleep together anymore, yes, but…we did not end our friendship. We continued to meet every now and then, mostly on friendly terms.  
When Intelligence broke apart, Shara was hurt, damaged partially due to what had been done to her previously, but also what she endured due to the actions of the Cabal. When the Sith started hunting us, I could’ve forgotten about her, but it wasn’t that easy. As you can imagine, she still meant a lot to me. I did everything I could to help her, provide her and those who wanted to fix her with the proper items, medications, and expertise to mend her mind.”  
She gazes down at the floor, remembering the fear and anxiety during those days, when she wasn’t sure whether Shara might still be alive, or if she had somehow broken under the operations.  
“This process made me realize that there…may be more.”

“More?”

Cierah sighs. Is she really going to say this? What will it do to her future if she admits these mistakes?  
Then again, if she hides them, what will it do to her conscience?  
“I can no longer ignore my feelings, Jovana. My heart is telling me certain things, and it’s perhaps time I started exploring that.”

“Well, what does your heart tell you, then? Do you love her?”

She isn’t as certain on this element and instead merely spreads her arms, giving Jov no more than a shrug.  
“I don’t know yet. I know there are emotions involved, much more than a year or two ago. It has evolved past simple desire but, I can’t tell what stage it may have reached just yet.”

Jov nods curtly, at least seeming to understand that much. Cierah waits for a response, knowing that this will be the most important of them all.  
“So, what does this mean? Are you saying you wanna break up?”

Cierah widens her eyes in surprise.  
“What? No, no! That’s not what I-…”  
Or was it?  
“…well, I mean…technically, I suppose I could-…” She sighs. “To be honest, I’m not sure what I’m saying. I haven’t been in this kind of situation before.  
For the most part, I wanted you to hear the truth, to understand what I have gone through, so that you wouldn’t remain unaware of it. It wouldn’t be fair to you. This is your choice, just as much as mine. If you are too hurt by all that I’ve said, I think that’s completely reasonable. If you want to be angry or display your distaste for my actions, I wanted you to have that option. If you don’t wish to be with me anymore, then…”

She leaves that where it is, afraid of the ending, that it will become real. She doesn’t want to lose it, despite everything.  
However, there’s currently very little reason to be fearful, as Jov mostly appears to be curious, at least judging from her facial expression.  
“So, if I’m interpreting this correctly, you’re saying that you care for us both?”

Cierah opens her mouth, but closes it shortly after. She needs a few seconds to examine what she has said, what she feels, and what she wants. Is that the gist of it?  
“In essence, yes, I suppose that’s true. I’m not entirely sure if it’s on the same level, of course. You’re the woman I’ve been with the longest, probably out of any relationship I’ve ever tried. But does that mean I should ignore the other feelings? I don’t really wish to choose between you, but if that’s what you demand of me, I would do my best to resist anything else. If you want no doubt at all, and would prefer another solution, then that’s understandable as well.”

“Does she know about this?”

The agent shakes her head.  
“Not yet. In fact, I’m not even sure what she will say. Perhaps she’s completely opposed to the idea, in which case, you’d never have to worry about her.”

Jov snorts and then shrugs, without hesitation.  
“Well, to be honest, I don’t think I’d ever worry anyway. I don’t really care.”

“You don’t care at all?”

“Well, I mean, I care about you, a lot. But what I’m saying is, I don’t care if you also like someone else. That’s not for to me to decide.  
Maybe this will sound strange, I dunno, but I completely understand what you’ve said, as I often feel the same. I’ve actually been in a few relationships like that in the past, most of ‘em back on Nar Shaddaa.  
I’ve never been a ‘one-partner’ kind of lady, as a basic thing. I don’t really believe in the limited nature of ‘couples’, that you often hear in the Empire. I haven’t been with anyone else these past few of years, mostly because I haven’t found anyone who meets my standards, but also because I knew it might be difficult for you. That’s not to say I don’t have experience, though. From what you’ve said right now, it kinda sounds you do have less than me.”

What Jov says fills her with many emotions at the same time. Relief, confusion, and doubt. She wants to embrace everything, but hesitates on a few specific points.  
“But…what I did was still wrong, wasn’t it?”

Thankfully, Jov nods.  
“Oh yeah, it was. I don’t like that you went behind my back to do it, but at least you admit your mistake and confessed to me. Some people might not have done that, and I appreciate that you dare to be honest.” 

Cierah exhales through her nose and looks down.  
“It still doesn’t feel right, like you should be saying more.”

Jov pushes herself up from the sofa then, realizing that they need a little bit less distance between them now.  
“Look, I’m not against you wanting to be with us both, I’ve never been. Perhaps you didn’t know that, but you do now. And hey, if you also don’t mind if I possibly find another partner as well sometime in the future, then what’s the harm? As long as it’s consensual, right? If we’re both content and safe, that’s what should matter.”

Cierah looks up at her girlfriend, searching Jov’s face and eyes, seeing the warmth and welcoming aura. She both loves it and feels unsure if she belongs in it.  
“But, don’t you want to punish me for what I did? I still betrayed you. What we have is still special, and I shouldn’t have done something without your acknowledgement.”

Jov smiles and shifts the location of her hands, lifting them to Cierah’s waist, which she caresses gently.  
“You’re making a bigger deal out of this than what it should be. Not saying I want you to do that in the future but, it’s not the end of the galaxy, trust me.  
Besides, I know you’ll find some way to pay me back at some point. I know you too well, and it would eat at you if you let it remain unresolved. You’re funny that way.”

Is Jov saying that she has no regrets? That’s probably a lie, or a gross assumption on Cierah’s part.  
Either way, she chooses to lean close to the mandalorian, lifting her own hand up to Jov’s face. She starts by caressing a cheek, letting her eye follow each move, until she can stroke her fingertips over the lips. As she creates circles over that region, she lifts her gaze up to Jov’s.  
“I don’t deserve you”, she whispers.

In return, Jov chuckles.  
“Shut up, you idiot.”

She seizes Cierah’s waist with a firm grip and pulls her in. The two ends up in an eager and passionate kiss, more so than when this meeting started. Cierah does not want to doubt any further, completely embracing all of it, and lets herself be swept away. Whether Jov is right or not, she can’t say, but what she does know is that she’s thankful, for everything.  
It seems very unlikely that she’ll have to be alone tonight either.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _So, yeah, I haven't entirely decided what to do with these two. I am currently leaning towards giving Cierah two relationships, two girlfriends, with different connections and purpose. I don't really like nor believe in "rivalrous love triangles". Healthy poly ships is better._   
>  _That said, this thing with Jovana and Cierah will probably develop closer to something like marriage at some point._   
>  _To be clear though, this would be more like, Cierah being together with both separately, but Jov isn't dating Shara. To use the glossary from[More Than Two](https://www.morethantwo.com/polyglossary.html) (no idea if that's even a legit way to describe it), this would be a "Vee", or possibly a "N", if Jov finds another._


End file.
